Japanese Garden Dedicated at Rangi Ruru Girls' School

A Japanese garden has been officially dedicated this week in front of students from Yokohama Jogakuin and Rangi Ruru Girls’ School.

Timed to coincide with a sister school visit, yesterday (Thurs 13 Oct), Yokohama Jogakuin Principal Mr Hirama and Rangi Ruru Principal Dr Sandra Hastie cut a ribbon in front of the garden which recognises the close 23-year-old relationship between the two schools.

Dr Sandra Hastie says the garden is a beautiful and special place within the school.

Yokohama Jogakuin has a garden on their grounds which grows the Rangi Ruru rose (yellow in colour).

School gardener, Dan Dennehy, has overseen the development and planting of the Japanese garden which includes Acer Palmatum (Japanese Maple) Camellia japonica ‘Quintessence’ (Japanese Camelia) and Green Mondo Grass as well as rocks from the Arawata River in Haast.

More on Rangi Ruru’s sister schools: Exchanges

Every year a number of Rangi Ruru students decide that they would like to take up the challenge of learning more about a different culture in a way that is not possible in everyday classroom lessons. Often, students who go on these exchanges are learning the culture and language of the exchange country as a subject at senior level.

Rangi Ruru has set up several reciprocal exchanges. These are proving very popular and are with other independent schools similar to ours.

Reciprocal Exchanges

·         Yokohama Jogakuin, Japan (sister school)

·         King Edward VI School for Girls, England, UK

·         Annie Wright School, Seattle, USA

·         Pestalozzi School, Argentina

·         Unison World School, India

·         Tahiti exchange

ENDS                                                                                           www.rangiruru.school.nz