Fernie, British Columbia
Please describe your garden, is it raised beds, in the ground, do you have a greenhouse?
Our garden is a raised bed with a bench built around the outside. It is filled with native and non-native plants that attract pollinators with their nectar and pollen properties. In particular we chose plants that flower in the spring and fall and are known to attract bees and butterflies.
What vegetables/fruit do you grow in your garden? What do you have a difficult time growing in your school garden?
We have chives, sage, oregano and mint in our garden that could be harvested and eaten by humans. The garden was designed as a pollinator garden, with the hopes of creating habitat and a food source for our local pollinators.
Why did your school decide to add a school garden?
We added this garden to provide students with the chance to learn how to garden, to experience how our composting program's product can be used in a garden, and to observe, learn about and cultivate pollinators habitat.
What classes participate in the garden, what subjects are taught in the garden?
Our Grade 2s participated in the planning, planting and maintaining the garden. With some help from our Composting Buddies in Grade 6. We studied parts of the Science, Language Arts, Applied Design, Skills and Technologies, and Careers curriculum while working in the garden.
Who manages the garden day to day? Who manages the garden over the Summer break?
Our Grade 2 team manages the garden day to day. The students take on the role of watering and weeding it. Because we've planted mostly native plants, our garden does not need much maintenance over the summer. If it is hot and dry for awhile, a teacher will come and water it.
What do you do with the harvest from your garden? Do you have a harvest celebration? Do you use it in the cafeteria, or culinary classes? Do you donate some of the produce?
We have not harvested from our garden yet. There is the potential to harvest some of the herbs for tea next fall. We may have a pollinator garden tea party!
Do you have community involvement? Do you have parents and volunteers? Have been able to source other funding to help your garden grow?
We have some parent/volunteer helpers when maintenance needs to be done.
What are your future plans for the school garden?
To continue learning from it, working in it, watch it grow, and to observe and learn about the pollinators that visit it
Any words of encouragement/tips for a school starting a school garden?
Watching students take pride and interest in a space that they helped create and learned from is very exciting and rewarding!
Nutrients for Life is supported by:
The translation of our website has been made possible by the Government of Canada
