Maple Ridge, British Columbia
Please describe your garden, is it raised beds, in the ground, do you have a greenhouse?
Two raised bed gardens, one 1/2 moon concrete planter in the middle of the courtyard. One small concrete planter.
What vegetables/fruit do you grow in your garden? What do you have a difficult time growing in your school garden?
We have grown raspberries, blueberries, sunflowers, a variety of beans and tomatoes. We had some difficulity with pumpkins and squash. We also have a variety of herbs and flowers.
Why did your school decide to add a school garden?
Give the students a space to learn about plant lifecycle, be part of the school community and to take ownership of their own learning.
What classes participate in the garden, what subjects are taught in the garden?
A variety of classes now use the garden space ( courtyard), however it is mostly Kindergarten and early primary classes that use the garden.
Who manages the garden day to day? Who manages the garden over the Summer break?
Currently as we start up again, it is the adults who have managed the garden. As the year progresses, we will train students to maintain, plant and cultivate the garden area. Our custodial staff who work in August maintain the garden as well as some teachers who have come in during their break.
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?
As we did not have much success this year with our garden, we only harvested raspberries, potatoes and a few beans. No cafeteria or culinary classes.
Do you have community involvement? Do you have parents and volunteers? Have been able to source other funding to help your garden grow?
As we had covid protocols in place for the previous school year, we were not able to have parent volunteers. We were successful applicants for a GO Grant, which helped us purchase plants for our garden.
What are your future plans for the school garden?
We are hoping to add more plants this year!
Any words of encouragement/tips for a school starting a school garden?
Have patience!
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