Grade 5 Outing to Margaret Roberts Herbal Centre
Our Grade 5s swapped classrooms for the scented pathways of a herbal centre on Wednesday, 11 March 2026 and came back buzzing with new knowledge. Our girls enjoyed a guided walk through the garden, met plants face-to-face; touching, smelling and where safe, tasting. They learnt how fresh herbs become the spices we keep in kitchen jars, rolled up their sleeves and discovered that the same plants used for healing can also flavour our food.
Some of the highlights were:
- Smell first, measure second: Students practised telling lavender’s calming, soft floral scent, basil’s sweet, aniseed note and parsley’s fresh, grassy aroma.
- Science in the kitchen: We talked about why drying intensifies flavour, why moisture causes mould and how whole leaves keep longer than fine powders.
- Respect for plants: The facilitator reminded us to harvest sustainably: take only what you need, leave the plant healthy, and know what you are picking.
- Crumble and Grind: Once crisp, the herbs were crumbled by hand. Compared textures; thyme’s tiny woody leaves, basil’s fragrant flakes and parsely’s bright green flecks.
Our girls left with their own blend of salts and big plans to season their future suppers!
