GARDEN PROJECT TRANSFORMS SCHOOL SPACE INTO VIBRANT OUTDOOR HUB
12 March 2026
Welsh Slate were delighted to support the Ysgol Bodfeurig garden redevelopment by supplying a range of hard landscaping products from Penrhyn Quarry.
The garden originally came about as a way to bring the community back together following the difficult period during Covid.
It had an unused space at the front of the school and felt it could become something much more meaningful — a place not only for the school to enjoy during the day but also somewhere the wider community could share.
The garden was designed and installed by Dan Bristow, a parent at the school and owner of Studio Bristow. He helped transform what was an empty area into a vibrant outdoor learning and gathering space which now gives the children many different opportunities to experience and learn in nature.
There is a bespoke story and performance area surrounded by a variety of plant species that the children can study. A large, diverse wildflower meadow has also been created where pupils can carry out fieldwork and observe wildlife. In addition, there are raised beds along with fruit bushes and trees and a Draig Goch (Red Dragon) sculpture, designed and created by Joseph Conran, also a parent at Ysgol Bodfeurig.
Gareth Edwards Principal / Pennaeth Tregarth a Bodfeurig said “The Bodfeurig garden is a space created for learning, creativity and community. It gives our children the chance to explore nature, grow food, perform, and learn outside the classroom. We hope it will be enjoyed by everyone — please do come along to pick, plant and prune, or simply spend time enjoying the communal garden at Bodfeurig.”
Studio Bristow said "We are a small but award-winning landscape design company based a stone’s throw from Ysgol Bodfeurig. Our young boys all go to the school. Mr. Edwards approached us to help imagine and develop the grounds and the front of the school. Directors, Dan & Sarah Bristow, drew up an ambitious overarching drawing, managed its implementation and set up a gardening club at Ysgol Bodfeurig to help support & nurture the new garden.
The design includes a peaceful curved outdoor classroom, wildflower meadow, raised herb/fruit/veg beds, large selection of fruit trees (which line the boundary of the grounds and which will be able to be picked by the wider community once they’ve matured) and large sweeping planted beds threaded with edible shrubs, including currents, chilean guava and strawberries. Another parent of the school, metal artist Joseph Conran, will also make a metal ‘draig’ sculpture which will loop over the main path in the garden and have climbing plants growing through it. Both Studio Bristow and Jospeh Conran have contributed their time for free and the full budget kindly given by Breedon has been used to make the most ambitious and most beautiful garden possible.
The garden was officially opened in early July with a lovely ceremony that kicked off the school’s summer fair.
We hope that the garden will bring richness and interest to the children of the school and wider community. Along with many learning opportunities around growing food, nurturing outdoor spaces and encouraging wildlife!”
