Stratford's East London Yout's learn about their Jamaican Roots Hot

East London school children will get lessons learning about Jamaican plants, as part of a garden initiative for Jamacia 50th legacy in the form of a Jamaican garden by Festival Jamaica 2012 event organisers. The Festival Jamaica 2012 gardening project overseen by Peter Kiernan, at the school that will be holding a 17 day event of Jamaican culture as part of the Jamaica 50th celebrations. Has selected a mix of plants both Jamaican and those more tolerant to the English climate, to create a tropical like theme all year round.

He's been busy planting various plants including Hops, Scotch Bonnet Pepper, Sweet Red Pepper, Pumpkin and currently has a young Cho Cho/Christephene plant of growing as well.

The garden isn't for decoration but an educational tool, that lets young people understand about where food comes from, how to manage and maintain plants and be educated on how they can be best used.

He also plans to plant sweetcorn and ginger as well, so the children can have plants they can eat and as well as visually enjoy. The purpose of the garden also serves as a lesson in self sufficiency, managent of resources and using land more effectively.

The great thing about the Jamaica garden is that it can be used to teach geography, biology, history and cookery all on the school site and provide unlimited sources for both pupil and teacher learning.

The Festival Jamaica 2012 event is also combined with The Reggae Exhibition, so people going get a chance to attend two events in one location and garden to chill out in during the summer.

Festival Jamaica 2012 will deliver a whole Jamaican cultural experience to coincide with the high number of international visitors during the Olympics. see http://www.FestivalJamaica2012.com for more information.