I just wanted to say how awesome your idea is. I work in a school also and I think that would be truly magical for so many children that never experience growing gardens. What a way to learn about life cycles of plants and insects along with growing things. I know my daughter is totally transfixed (at age 8) by our garden. It is the first thing she does in the morning, check the growth progress. In the fall, I bring in the excess veggies for the kiddos, they are always so excited! I wish you good luck and please update us, I am so interested how it works out for you.

If you get the project you should go to local greenhouses and tree farms and even shed companies and ask for donations. I bet they would be more than happy to help out. If you were in my area, I would have loved to help. Again good luck!

Jen

Hi Charlene,

I think it's a wonderful idea too. When I used to sell perennials and children who were interested in plants would come in with their parents, I always tried to find time to talk to them a little bit and would try to find something with seed heads so I could give them some seeds to take home to try on their own. If you get your project started, I'd be glad to donate some English lavender and hollyhock seed and some others that I have. I still have all my plant lists, so if you decide to do the butterfly area, I'd be glad to send you a list of butterfly plants (perennials).

I think it would be a great idea to have a small veggie area too, with some simple to grow veggies so the kids can see where the food they eat comes from. Unless this would be an ongoing project over the summer months, you'd need to plant early crops like lettuce, spinach, and peas that go in when it's still cool out and grow quickly. Tomatoes and many others wouldn't be ready until the kids are out of school.

An herb area, with all the different scents, would be good too. With Basil, dill, oregano, thyme, sage and many others, the kids could pick leaves and crush them and smell them. Bet they'd love it. And then there are all the different types of mint (my favorite is chocolate mint)--they could pick leaves and make mint tea. So many things for kids to explore!

I think the best way to estimate the space you'd need is to estimate how big you want each individual area to be--individual garden for each grade, shed/greenhouse, seating area, etc.--and then arrange them on a large sheet of paper and add up the total. It would also be a great idea to plan for a birdbath or two and a couple feeders in/around your seating area. Bird watching (now called birding) can be totally addictive! But what a great addiction!

If you go ahead with your project, I'd be glad to come down sometime (you're in Castle Rock aren't you? I'm in Thornton!) and demonstrate propagating plants from cuttings for some of the older kids if you'd like. We could maybe even do sedum cuttings (very, very simple--I could bring the cuttings!) for the little kids. I LOVE to see kids interested in Green Growin' Things!

Let me know if I can help in any way,
Good luck,
Skybird

Thanks Jen... My son is also 8 and it's the first year he's been really into it which thrills me! I haven't heard back from the school board and may not until it gets closer for school to start. But the school is an Outward Bound Expeditionary Learning School so I'm sure they'll be up for it especially if I'm willing to do all the work!
Skybird, Thanks for all the ideas and I will definitely take you up on your offers! I'll keep you all posted....

Charlene,

When you're getting started, email me directly via GW (go to my bio and click on send me an email). That way I'll get any messages for sure since I could possibly miss a post here.

Glad to do what I can to help,
Skybird

I got the okay for the school garden!! Not only that but they told me to work out the details with one of the school employees who will speak with the landscapers; she's kind of the asst. to the asst. principal and she heads up all the volunteer and school events. She told me her major was horticulture and she is so excited about this project! How lucky is that?

Congratulations! Have fun with your planning.

Skybird

Well, the asst. I was working with this past summer in regard to the garden left the school and noone could find any paper trail about the school garden and noone at the district could attest to approving any garden plans. Soooo, I had to start anew with the new asst. and we just got definite approval for the exact spot where we want the garden and we put in an order to have a water tap and spicket installed when the ground thaws. The ball's rolling again :)

I put a blurb in the school newsletter about a garden task force and got some parents interested in helping including one parent who is a Douglas County Master Gardener! Who knew?! So we're in motion and will have a garden brainstorming meeting soon and talk about raising funds for the project.

The design of the garden is what needs to happen first I think. I'm going to call some local nurseries to beg of a designers time. I've called a few places already and have gotten some gift certificates donated when we are ready to begin.

Any ideas, suggestions, comments are most welcome :)

Our elementary school put in a community garden at the grade school last year. I think maybe 1/2 acre. They set up an advisory board with teacher of the afterschool program, local garden club, Ag research center and interested community members. Part of the garden is for children and part for community garden with rented plots. It took some doing to clean up the area, have a local farmer come in and plow and make beds. The afterschool kids were involved in planting and harvesting as there is a summer school program as well. They got donations from a number of areas. Some people like myself started tomato plants and gave them pumpkin seeds, radish seeds and pots to start them, my friend gave them a half flat of candy onion plants. The teacher said that the kids loved the tomatoes as they were different colored heirlooms. Most kids didn't know that tomatoes came in different colors and sizes. They had 1 weekend where they came to Farmers Market and sold their excess. (A lot of zuchinni and herbs)