Vision

To create a welcoming, sustainable garden at the front entrance of our school, one which can feed the community with native, edible perennials and last for years beyond our students’ tenure; to build a foundation for future gardeners.

Action

After meeting with the Executive Director of Landscape NB/PEI, students of our K-8 school planned, plotted, and planted (yes, we love alliteration) a 40 cubic metre edible perennial garden next to the school entrance. A space that was recently dug up for structural repairs to the school, left with a large flat desolate mat of dirt, was complimented with a generous donation of a tandem of topsoil, turned by energetic and industrious middle schoolers, paired with our Littles (elementary students) to plant a variety of 169 native shrubs, seedlings and a majestic 4-in-1 apple tree. This project involved 90+% of our students, more than four weeks of planning and planting combined, to be finalized by the graduating grade 8 class planting an apple tree in honour of their class, their peers and their future.

Reflection & Celebration

From grade 4 students standing in position to model full-sized plants, to kindergarteners experiencing “exploratory play” on the generous donation of topsoil, to pairing older students with our younger Littles, to the graduating grade 8 class planting the final element of the 4-in-1 apple tree, the celebration of our welcoming front community garden has lit the spirits of our students, our staff, and our community. To see the middle schoolers take shovels, spades, rakes and pitchforks to turn a tandem of topsoil into a level ready-to-plant garden bed in a matter of hours, and finalized with students delicately spreading mulch by hand around each of the more than 170 plants/seedlings/trees combinations made many hearts full. The summation came in two comments: “Ms. D, I have never planted anything or put my hands in soil before today. I like gardening and want to do more of it now!” and, “My dad always wanted to have a garden but didn’t know where to start. Now I can tell and show him what we can do together, like we are doing feeding the school and community!” Mission accomplished!