Peace garden

Create an oasis of calm for your local community.

Peace gardens are a great way of bringing communities together to plan, work and care for a common project for the enjoyment of all.

They help us to think about what peace could mean, look like and feel like, when we start to consider the shape, colour, types of plants, symbols, messages and spaces we want to create in our own Peace Garden.

They help us to consider our immediate environment.  Does it nurture growth and healing? Does it invite people and nature to come together? Does it create opportunities for learning how we can care for the earth and one another?

Peace Garden Community Challenge

Useful resources

Peace Garden Supporting Sheet

Peace garden in Harrow 

A neglected area in the grounds of St Joseph's School, Harrow, was selected for a "Peace Garden", developed by a working group of parents and teachers.  The garden has enhanced spiritual and educational opportunities for the children and teachers of the school.

The garden encourages children to reflect on the importance of God's creation and care for the environment.  It reminds them that gardens have a special place in Christian experience. The gardens of Eden and Gethsemane represent turning points for humanity.

A water feature and millstone remind them of their Baptism (water) and the Eucharist (bread).

Newly planted trees include a Cherry - a Japanese peace symbol for the victims of nuclear bombs - and an Oak, which supports more different kinds of wildlife than any other British tree.  An Apple tree recalls an old Christmas carol where Jesus is compared to an apple tree.

A white peace lily grows at the entrance and Buddleia is already attracting the local butterfly population.

The Year 6 leavers painted stones with symbols or images of peace.