Vision

Sigmund Freud said “Flowers are restful to look at. They have no emotions or conflict.” He would know as he spent a lot of time digging in the dirt.

Gardening and flowers are good for us. Running a Day Treatment Mental Health class that benefits from having students’ hands in the dirt and watching flowers grow has been so beneficial to our connection to the land and our growth as a little society.

It will be important to continue this growth into the dark months next fall.

Action

We now have greenhouses and growing lights to continue our mission to grow plants year-round. We just need to continue to purchase soil and seeds and share our green thumb with all those around us in our school as a Day Treatment classroom. The plan for the fall would be to add a raised garden bed within the classroom during the dark months as well so as the seedlings and plants grow, we have room to house them and let them flourish.

We are hopeful with new day treatment students joining our classroom, that they will grow and bud with the plants as well.

Reflection & Celebration

There is so much to celebrate. Students have seen what has worked during the growing season (sweet pea flowers, marigolds, cucumbers, dill, cat grass, lettuce etc.). Students have also seen what doesn’t work when you leave the plants over the weekend (beets, parsley). They have seen what is slow to grow (tomatoes and some flowers like Asters). But like the flowers and plants, we don’t give up.

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