Vision

Our vision is that pollinators will be able to buzz and fly all over Canada because there are pollinator gardens at all schools cared for by students, teachers, neighbours and the community. The gardens will be beautiful with colourful flowers. We will have wildflowers, perennials, annuals, fruit bushes and fruit trees, vegetables and other trees. All of the these plants can host pollinator larva or adults as well as hummingbirds. All of these pollinators will help bees do their very important job of ensuring plants thrive and make food in Canada.
We believe that sharing beauty, caring for our small community, and leading by example will make a big difference.
We know we can sit by the garden, paint the flowers, release Painted Lady Butterflies and see if butterflies, hummingbirds, moths, bees, and other insects visit the gardens.

Action

Our project included the following actions.
We researched the plants butterflies, moths, bees, and hummingbird needs for young and adults in our area (Prince Albert, Saskatchewan).
We ordered these plants from a Wildflower Seedling company – Blazing Star (Saskatchewan) as well as from local greenhouses. Mme Klein also had many wildflowers to share. We learned how to draw butterflies from artist Monique Martin throught our SK Arts grant. Beekeeper, Barry, visited our class and told us about bees, showed us photos and let us hear the buzz. We made paths with our ozobots for bees and bats and we read lots of books, looked on lots of web sites and learned about climate change and how gardens can help make a difference.
We grew veggies (pumpkin, cucumbers, tomatoes) and flowers (marigold, cosmos, sweet pea) from seed because we found out pollinators like these plants. We direct seeded beans which will climb up the corn near the pumpkins to honour plants grown by First Nations. Also we chose to plant sunflowers which pollinators like because they find good energy from the sun. Sunflowers also remind us that peace is about sustainability and the best way for people and for the planet.
We are not done our project (the raised beds are planted), since we have more to plant in June on city property, our Google Slides to finish that will further explain the story of the Pollinator Garden and we need to sit by the garden and paint the flowers. Our community includes the City of Prince Albert Parks because we are planting on the city-owned Rotary Trail by the pond that is near our school. That way many public people can enjoy the wild flowers, perennials and fruit trees we plant as they walk, roll, cycle and run past. We will lightly fence the plants so the deer and hare do not enjoy the garden too much. Our Painted Lady butterfly larvae will grow, form their chrysalis and emerge to be released to the flowers we grew. Hopefully, pollinators will lay eggs, and live in our gardens.
So, this project in not finished, and will continue to grow and flourish for many years.

Reflection & Celebration

Our celebration will take place in mid to late June once all the planting is complete. We will have a really fun garden picnic and party.
Our plan is to tour the students through the garden, play sharing nature games with them and help them identify the plants they set in the garden as well as other plants. Veggies will be shared with the food bank in the fall and enjoyed by students and neighbours through out the summer. 🙂

Reflection from students: We know we can make a difference by how kids take care of the garden. We will keep the plants growing. It is important for our raised beds with veggies to help our community. The gardens holds beautiful flowers and yummy vegetables. Everyone will learn they can grow pollinating flowers and veggies at home to share with the community. People who use the trails in the summer and who play in the play grounds will see the gardens. They will be happy and have joy. And we all need more joy in our world.