Frontenac Public School

About our Garden

Please describe your garden, is it raised beds, in the ground, do you have a greenhouse?

2 raised garden beds. One focused on being a pollinator garden with native flowers and herbs, the other is a vegetable garden, including the 3 sister plants.

What vegetables/fruit do you grow in your garden? What do you have a difficult time growing in your school garden?

Tomatoes, corn, beans, acorn squash, and lettuce. The tomatoes were difficult because we did not plant them soon enough, and they did not get enough water over the hot, dry summer. In general, we need to plant sooner for a better growing season.

Why did your school decide to add a school garden?

Our school decided to add a school garden to give students hands-on learning experiences and help them connect with nature. The garden will teach responsibility, teamwork, and care for the environment while supporting science, health, and sustainability lessons. It’s also a great way to build community pride, where students can see the results of their hard work and enjoy growing their own food together.

What classes participate in the garden, what subjects are taught in the garden?

The Eco team and kindergarten classes participated in planning and building our gardens. They also helped choose what plans and vegetables to plant, helped plant, water, and harvest them. We related it to science, art, and social studies, and math.

Who manages the garden day to day? Who manages the garden over the Summer break?

The Eco team and kindergartens manage the garden. In the summer, we plan to have families in the community, help care for the garden.

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 replant the seeds and harvest the food to eat during a picnic and to give to the Life Skills CP class, who uses it to cook with.

Do you have community involvement? Do you have parents and volunteers? Have been able to source other funding to help your garden grow?

We plan to have parents help with watering in the summer and long breaks.

What are your future plans for the school garden?

To tend and care for every year. To harvest some new vegetables before the school year is over, and maintain it over the summer, to harvest fall vegetables when we return. To bring this learning to the students' families so they can start their own food gardens.

Any words of encouragement/tips for a school starting a school garden?

Every great garden starts with one small seed, just like this project! Be patient; plants and gardeners grow with care and time. Watching something you planted grow is a reminder that your effort matters.