A celebration of young gardeners

A kitchen garden can be a classroom, a meeting place, a source of fresh food and a reason to get your hands dirty. At this year’s National Kitchen Garden Awards, we saw all of these things – and plenty more – in action.

We joined the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation to celebrate the 2026 winners, meeting the students, educators and communities behind some remarkable garden projects. From inventive approaches to sustainability and growing to cooking, culture and community connection, each winning garden had its own story to tell.

What stood out was the sheer variety of ways these gardens are being used. Some are producing food for school kitchens, others are bringing families and communities together, while many are giving young people the chance to learn practical skills and discover where food comes from.

Together, they all demonstrate something gardeners have always known: give people a patch of soil, a few seeds and the chance to get involved, and you never quite know what will grow.

National Kitchen Garden Awards 2026 at a glance

This year’s awards attracted a record 647 entries from schools and early childhood services across Australia, highlighting the growing enthusiasm for kitchen gardens and hands-on food education. From 27 finalists, nine winners were selected by an expert judging panel and celebrated at an event at Stanmore Public School (NSW). Each winner receives a prize package valued at almost $5000, including a $1000 grant, Kitchen Garden Program membership and a garden bundle to help their projects continue to grow. Below we celebrate the finalists and winners for each category.

Beyond the Gate
Presented by ABC Gardening Australia

The category: Show us some great examples of how your kitchen or garden has impacted families and community members around your school or early childhood service. Have your students taken produce to a local market?

We would like to congratulate the finalists:

🌿 RedGum – the Waldorf School of Central Victoria, VIC
🌿Cavendish Primary School, VIC
🌿Wongan Hills District High School, WA

And the winner is …

Wongan Hills District High School

This school (pictured above) may be small but it has had a lot of impact in the local community. In their entry they described themselves as a small school garden in a rural town where dozens of parents, relatives, community members and even ex-students scramble to volunteer each week.

“Students are engaged in growing and enterprise, from seed to sale, while volunteers across the community donate their time, plants and knowledge to help the garden thrive.”

“The school, population 199, is in a rural area, where parent & community participation has been slowly dropping over the last few years…that is, until the School Garden came along!”

The following description from their entry says it all: “It’s not just beyond the gate. It has dismantled the gate.”

First Nations Foods
Presented by Gardening on Country

The category: Show us how you’re incorporating First Nations knowledge into your kitchen garden learning. Do you grow Australian native ingredients to celebrate culture?

We would like to congratulate the finalists:

🌿Crystal Brook Kindergarten, SA
🌿Southern Support School, TAS
🌿St Mary’s College P-12, WA

And the winner is …

St Mary’s College P-12

The St Mary’s College garden was designed, built by the students, and they also take great care of the space they created. Their is so much to learn, particularly when it comes to First Nations knowledge.

“Our gardens prioritise Australian native bush foods and Kimberley species suited to local conditions. Guided by the Yawuru seasons, students learn that growing on Country means understanding local ecosystems, respecting seasonal cycles and selecting plants that belong in our environment.”

Local Elders and community experts work alongside the students, guiding them as they explore how different First Nations groups across the Kimberley have traditionally used local plants for food, medicine, tools and cultural practices. The photo below is boabs they grew in their garden and will use for pickling.

The students, volunteers and educators at the school have done an amazing job at growing and learning together. As they said in their entry: “Students are not only growing food, they are growing pride, strengthening connections to Country and ensuring First Nations knowledge is valued, celebrated and passed on to future generations.”

Kitchen Garden Trailblazer
Presented by Wiltshire

The category: This award recognises an outstanding kitchen garden educator, volunteer or staff member who has shown creativity, dedication and leadership in inspiring children to grow and cook.

We would like to congratulate the finalists:

🌿The Village School Gold Coast, QLD
🌿Dalaigur Preschool and Childrens Services, NSW
🌿Swan Reach Primary School, VIC

And the winner is …

The Village School Gold Coast

It takes a team to make a project a success but it sounds as though Miss B was the mainstay behind all the hard work put into the garden at The Village School Gold Coast. To show their appreciation, Miss B. was nominated for all the work she has done.

“In our school’s first five years, she transformed an empty balcony in the heart of Coolangatta into a thriving kitchen garden and created Balcony to Bowl—a learning experience our children and families will never forget.

“Through Miss B’s creativity, dedication and leadership, children experience the full journey from seed to plate while developing teamwork, confidence, responsibility and pride.”

Recipe of the Imagination
Presented by Herbie’s Spices

The category: Show us how you’re inspiring young cooks to explore cultures, taste new flavours, and experiment with herbs, spices and ingredients.

We would like to congratulate the finalists:

🌿Ungarra Primary School, SA
🌿Carey Baptist College (Forrestdale), WA
🌿Aldavilla Public School, NSW

And the winner is …

Aldavilla Public School

We talk a lot about warrigal greens here at OG as it’s one of the easiest and most rewarding native food plants to grow. It’s a popular plant at Aldavilla Public School, too, where this multipurpoase plant has become a real success story.

“It was actually the first crop we planted when I arrived at Aldavilla, and has far exceeded any expectations. They thrive in our Kempsey climate, cope well with local pests, and provide a steady harvest for our cooking classes all season long.”

Their garden-grown warrigal greens have become one of their most treasured harvests used in place of spinach every time they cook.

“We make dips, pasta sauces, pasta, pastries and more. This year, students trialled our first Warrigal Greens Wraps for both our Mexican cooking unit and our Indigenous Fusion unit.

“This recipe showcases the best of what we do: Making the most of what ingredients thrive in our garden while giving students the confidence to experiment with new tastes.”

Warrigal Green Wraps

Makes: 30 pieces
Dough
1⅔ cups warrigal greens puree
2 teaspoons salt
10 tablespoons avocado oil (or similar)
5 cups plain flour, extra for dusting
1 teaspoon baking powder

For the puree
125g of warrigal greens leaves
1 cup hot water

1. To make the puree, blanch and rinse leaves. Add the hot water and puree well with a stick mixer. Measure out the amount needed, reserving the rest to add if the dough is a bit dry.
2. For the dough, mix together the puree, salt and oil until the salt is dissolved.
3. Stir in the flour and baking powder and mix to form a ball. Knead lightly, 2-3 minutes. Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
4. Divide the dough into 40g balls. Roll out each into a 10cm circle, about 1mm thick.
5. Cook in a dry heavy-based frying pan until the top is slightly bubbly, then flip onto opposite side for a minute or two. To keep them warm, stack them and wrap them in a clean tea towel.

Showcasing STEM
Presented by Seasol

The category: If your kitchen garden is a living lab where children explore real-world science, technology, engineering and maths, we want to hear from you.

We would like to congratulate the finalists:

🌿Head Start Montessori Mount Gravatt, QLD
🌿Springhurst Primary School, VIC
🌿St Francis Xavier School Corio, VIC

And the winner is …

Springhurst Primary School

Another small school with some big ideas that are giving students a chance to grow and learn, and the garden is one place where lessons can have many different elements to them.

“When a week of 40°C+ temperatures devastated our school garden, students were faced with a real-world problem: How could we rebuild our garden to be more resilient and sustainable? Rather than seeing the heatwave as a setback, students became scientists, engineers and designers. They investigated why some plants survived while others didn’t, saving Tommy Toe tomato seeds to preserve future crops while learning about plant lifecycles, germination and seed viability.”

What a great way to learn, taking a real-life challenge and finding a solution!

“From environmental challenge came authentic STEM learning. Students investigated, designed, tested, evaluated and refined solutions with a genuine purpose, discovering that innovation begins with curiosity and grows through collaboration.”

Sustainable Solutions
Presented by Costa Group

The category: Share some of the ways you’ve learned about sustainability, climate change and preventive practices in the kitchen or garden.

We would like to congratulate the finalists:

🌿Giru State School, QLD
🌿Yea High School, VIC
🌿Bungwahl Public School, NSW

And the winner is …

Bungwahl Public School

Living sustainably is something we all aspire to and the kitchen garden at Bungwahl Public School has taken the whole idea to heart, and are digging into the many ideas available with gusto.

“Our school sits in the bush and runs entirely on rainwater, so sustainability isn’t a topic; it’s how we survive. In the garden, students plant comfrey and sugar cane for compost, grow bush tucker, and fill the beds with flowers for bees and butterflies.”

Everything they do at the school ticks all the sustainability boxes that we write about here at OG.

“Nothing is wasted: bones become stock, citrus peels and vinegar become cleaner, and surplus greens become pesto, ferments and jam, stored in an upcycled jar. Everything else is composted, including playground scraps. We avoid cling wrap, industrial seed oils and refined sugar, and always cook a vegan version. What we can’t eat, we sell or donate, then reinvest the money into the garden.”

And the smiles on their faces show how much everyone enjoys all the gardening fun!

The Art of Kitchen Gardening
Presented by MSP Compass

The category: The sights, smells, textures and stories of the kitchen garden are full of inspiration. Show us how you’re using nature and food to inspire creativity, self-expression and artistic exploration.

We would like to congratulate the finalists:

We would like to congratulate the finalists:

🌿 Manning Gardens Public School, NSW
🌿Story House Early Learning Pimpama, QLD
🌿Gippsland Lakes Complete Health Early Learning Centre, VIC

And the winner is …

Manning Gardens Public School

Colours, textures and just an incredible array of natural beauty can be found in a garden. Capturing all of that can be quite fun, especially when you can use your imagination like the students at Manning Gardens Public School.

“At Manning Gardens Public School, creativity begins long before the paintbrush touches the page. Every visit to our kitchen garden invites students to slow down, observe and connect with the colours, textures, sounds and stories that surround them. Nestled on Biripi Country, the garden has become a place where nature inspires imagination and every child discovers their own unique way of expressing what they see, feel and value.”

The end result is a joy – for those who did the creating and those of us who get to enjoy the results.

The Next Crop
Presented by JAZZ Apples

The category: Celebrate the next crop of budding chefs, green thumbs or student-run clubs. This award recognises young leaders who are showing passion or innovation in the kitchen or garden.

We would like to congratulate the finalists:

We would like to congratulate the finalists:

🌿Alawa Preschool, NT
🌿Weeden Heights Primary School, VIC
🌿Albuera Street Primary School, TAS

And the winner is …

Alawa Primary School

The future starts in the gardens of today, and that includes the young people who will take all they learn out into the workplaces, communities and local areas they live in. The Farm Monitor program at Alawa Primary School is one place our future gardeners are learning to blossom.

“Our Farm Monitor program celebrates students whose passion for the garden inspires our entire community. Every year, students apply for these sought-after leadership positions, giving up their lunch breaks to mentor younger children during our lunchtime Open Farm sessions. They teach younger students how to move safely around the gardens, care for animals, collect eggs, harvest produce and always lend a hand to complete projects that make our farm a better place.”

Wellbeing Champions
Presented by ABC Organic Gardener Magazine

The category: We know getting hands-on in the kitchen and garden is great for our mental health, fitness and wellbeing. Show us a kitchen or garden activity that has improved the wellbeing of children.

We would like to congratulate the finalists:

We would like to congratulate the finalists:

🌿Communities at Work Galilee School, ACT
🌿Devonshire Street Childrens Centre, NSW
🌿Cowandilla Learning Centre, SA

And the winner is …

Devonshire Street Childrens Centre

So many benefits to gardening, and they’re not all to do with the harvests that we can eat. Connection is one of those benefits: we share the hard work but we can also share the joy of a successful harvest. The Devonshire Street Childrens Centre has found a way to connect with the school community that shows how powerful it can be.

“Many of our families are from overseas and are separated from their extended families. The absence of grandparents and community mentors can lead to a loss of culture, history, and heritage, making it difficult for children to develop a strong connection to their background and community. While children build relationships through early childhood settings, senior migrants often face challenges settling into a new community, which may lead to isolation and poor mental wellbeing.”

The teachers observed this and came up with the intergenerational garden project.

“We invited grandparents to participate, and they have taken turns visiting the centre to help children plant and care for vegetables. The grandparents share their gardening knowledge, cultural experiences, and practical skills, helping children learn how to nurture plants and appreciate where food comes from.
Through this project, grandparents feel connected to the children and the wider community by sharing their knowledge and experiences. Children greatly enjoy these visits and have formed meaningful relationships with the seniors.”

Your school or early childhood service can join the Kitchen Garden Program and gain access to mentoring and learning resources to get children growing. Learn more or donate to the charity at kitchengardenfoundation.org.au.