Vision

Our vision is to see more students interacting with nature and the environment. With climate change on the rise, students should understand the benefits of being outside, and the importance of helping mother nature at the same time.

Action

Our plan was to build a garden by including many different pollinator plants that are native to Ontario. We aim to make it sustainable; and provide the birds, bees, butterflies and other insects with the plants that allow them to thrive as well. Learning about plants and watching to see which ones will succeed and thrive in this little microclimate is also an important part of our goals. Since the garden will have very little direct care in the summer months, we gave thought to including plants that can tolerate drought as well and to including plants that will take us into the fall and show up in the Spring.

Reflection & Celebration

We named it the “Healing Garden” so that students and staff who use the garden would feel at peace with nature, to be able to view the beautiful colours, breathe in the fresh air and see the interactions between the birds, bees, butterflies and the pollinator plants. We are starting a “garden lunch” sign-up so that students can eat their lunch in the garden. Teachers are able to bring their class out into the garden to enjoy the space and do some outdoor learning. Also just seeing the beauty of the garden as we walk by in the day helps us all feel better. Students stop to look at what is new in the garden and it gives us pride that we have made this space for the school.

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