The majority of logbook entries relating to the school garden consist of a single line:- “No gardening today - too wet!” When this was the case the pupils would be taught art, mathematics or do indoor gardening tasks such as make plant labels for use when the weather improved. The timetable was fairly flexible and extra gardening lessons could be undertaken when the rain stopped. Other entries in the logbooks of relevance include:- 28th July 1920 “Mr Steer, Horticultural Inspector judged school garden.” 17th March 1921 “New materials arrived.” 25th April 1921 “No gardening. Parents visit to school to hear children singing after winning two 1st prizes at Northants Musical Competition.” 10th September 1923 “No gardening - register not arrived.” 9th February 1925 “No gardening - 4 valve wireless set installed in school.” 21 September 1925 “Wireless lecture on plants.” 3rd May 1926 “Revd. A.C. Hooper, M.A.,Chaiman of Managers visited garden.” 30th June 1927 “No gardening - heavy rain. The Green flooded and wide stream of water rushing down the street at 3.00pm.” 8th February 1932 “No gardening - boys with bronchial trouble.” 16th July 1934 “No gardening - too hot!”

Greta Orcherton (nee Adams) who was a pupil at West Haddon School between 1942 and 1952 remembers that the school garden was set out as in this plan:

Greta remembers that Mr Lattimore, who was headmaster at the time, was particularly good at growing flowers but not as keen on vegetables! (Was this left to the pupils perhaps?) Sometime during the period of Mr Lattimore’s headship, he painted this picture of his daughter, Lorna sitting in the school garden.

Painting of Mrs Lattimore in the school garden.

The picture was painted from behind the school, facing towards the left, where the new hall now stands and currently hangs in the school library.

The school received many awards for its efforts in the garden.

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