Herbs to help garden flourish

Medibank Rockingham is hoping people will take thyme out to help raise money to buy Malibu School a shade cloth for its greenhouse.

The Rockingham Shopping Centre store is selling the herb- growing kits for $6 and Medibank will match the money raised in store dollar for dollar.

Medibank Rockingham manager Danette Carr said the shade cloth would protect the greenhouse which, unlike the garden, was wheelchair accessible.

"Last year, the students from Safety Bay Senior High technical classes made a large arched greenhouse and it needs a cloth over the top," she said.

"It means the kids in wheelchairs use tables which are higher than the garden beds, so they too can have that experience of gardening and putting their hands in the soil."

The store aims to raise $1000 from selling the herb kits, which will mean Medibank will chip in another $1000.

The self-contained kits are designed to grow tasty herbs on the window sill with no need to re-pot the packet.

Malibu School deputy principal Kaye Tucker said the garden and greenhouse was part of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program and all classes spent a minimum of 30 minutes a week weeding, watering and looking after their designated garden beds.

The classes also harvest and cook the produce they have grown as part of the ground-to-table mentality promoted by the celebrity chef.