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Things are improving at PFL as we’re embarking on a long-awaited refurbishment. Much will improve across the School, but to the delight of our current and former families, much will also remain the same as the quirky spaces of PFL are so loved by our community. As part of the improvements, we are hoping to enhance the Garden to the side of the building (the one used as entrance to the Carols by Candlelight).
Every aspect of the Garden will significantly enhance our curriculum and student wellbeing while bringing the benefits of Outdoor school to our doorstep.
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As a bit of an aide memoire, here is a video (6 minutes long, narrated by Nick Miller) about how PFL has changed over the years which we put together for the 50th ahead of the improvements. The Banyan Tree Garden is featured at the end, and the whole video provides a nostalgic walk down memory lane.
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Support the Pok Fu Lam Banyan Tree Garden - in the proud tradition of the Kellett community paying it forward for future generations, we’re hopeful that some of our former students, parents and staff will support this much-needed project. Key donors will be recognised within the Garden’s design with cornerstone gifts of $100k or more getting a prominent mention (we will always honour any donor who wishes to remain anonymous).
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Time Capsule
I attended Kellett from 1989 to 1993. Those were some of the best years of my life. My mum, Jill Jones, was also a teacher at the school during that time.
I believe it was in 1993, when Mr Nevin was our teacher, that our class created a time capsule and buried it in the garden behind the playground. As far as I know, it may still be there, more than 30 years later.
I now live in New Zealand, but I would absolutely love to see it dug up one day. I can still remember exactly what I put into the capsule!
-story from Christie Jones
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Sports Day
I went to kellett from 1983-1991. A great time and wanted to share a couple of my favourite memories with you. There are so many to pick from, I could send endless photos! When I saw your email, I instantly thought of sports day with teachers, plenty of parents helping out and terrific fun for all of us kids!
Sports day - always great fun done at Stanley Sports field. Parents volunteered to help out with the sports activities - although am sure our sports don’t equate to sports today… I remember egg and spoon races, dunking for apples and sweets in flour and water.
-story from Natalie Salord
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Halloween
In 1989, Kellett held its first Halloween party in Smiley Garden. The event was organised to raise funds for new seating in the school hall, and the celebrations were a great success, raising $40,000, enough to cover the cost of the new seats. Teachers and students dressed up for the occasion, and a few witchy gatherings even took place beneath the Banyan tree! We are looking forward to more celebrations in the garden once it reopens.
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Smiley Garden
It started as a fenced-off "drainage reserve" between Kellett and the as-yet undeveloped site to the west. The Board had been looking for space for a football pitch. While this was certainly no football pitch, at the centre of the site stood a friendly old banyan tree, and an idea for an onsite Garden was hatched...
Kellett was granted use of the land for a small amount of rent, on the condition that the School would care for the heritage banyan tree. A ceremony was held to celebrate the opening of the Garden in 1986, during which Fionna MacLeod (one of the School's founders, Kellett's first Bursar, debenture organiser & fundraiser, library Mum, Sports Day organiser, and so much more!), joined Mr John McGuigan (Former Chair of the Board) in breaking ground.
The builders affectionately dubbed it the "Smiley Garden". The layout of the flowerbeds reminded them of a smiley face, complete with crinkled eyes and a big smile.