garden.docx

8/12/2019 garden.docx

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The existing garden consisted of flower beds bordering the paths, and some dryimpoverished clay soil with depressing tufts of straggling grass in what couldeuphemistically be called a lawn, which you can just see in my photo on the left.

My idea was to remove the grassed area completely, lay a pattern of pavingstones in the form of a 'T' shape , in order to have easy access to all parts of the

flower garden, and then fill the rest of the area with flowers , which I would selectaccording to their height, seasonal variation and growing pattern, colour, ability toflourish in half-shade, somewhat dry because of a tree in the street outside.

The End Result for my Cottage GardenLots of shorter plants, various colour schemes, according to seasonSo in summer it was pink, white, mauve and flashes of orange.

In autumn it was more orange, evergreens and fuschia colours.

In winter, lots of white berries from pernettya , blue-black berrries onthe mahonia and red berries on the cotoneaster and roses .

: In January the white-green hellebore flowered, followed in early spring byyellow mahonia , yellow and white daffodils and narcissi , thenpink bergenia and bluebells and forget-me-nots , bright primroses , then flamecoloured wallflowers , almost dazzling in their brightness, and grey-whiteosteospermum .


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This Design is so Simple Youcould Do It Yourself

You just need a little bit of thought to work out what you need

These are the Basic Tools andMaterials You Would Need foryour Garden

Tools for digging, moving stuff around and good soil for planting out

VINCA MINOR (also known asPERIWINKLE) -

small shiny leaves, small violet star-shaped flowers in spring and thenintermittently during summer and autumn


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Good ground cover. Vinca is evergreen and low-lying and gradually spreads, so needs to be kept under

control

5.DICENTRA SPECTABILIS, also known as BLEEDING HEART -In Spring this root puts out stems with soft interesting-shaped leaves with asmall dark pink or sometimes pink-and-white flower which does indeedresemble a heart

It flowers for about two months and looks lovely grown near bergenia and Solomon's seal. Propagate bydividing the roots after it has finished flowering. I have never found it very easy to increase and usually

end up buying more plants.

7. MAHONIA -Mahonia is an evergreen shrub

Mahonia is a shrub with very shiny dark green leaves, a bit like holly and just as spiky, with

purple-black berries from Autumn through winter, and a mass of bright yellow tiny frothy flowers

in Spring

They multiply by sending out sucker-type shoots, so keep them under control. The type I grow (Mahonia


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aquifolium) is fairly short, no more than 3 ft. high, but my neighbours have a different type which is more

like a tree, about 10 ft. high.

MYASOTIS also known as FORGET-ME-NOT -they range in colour from bright blue to pale blue, some tinged with pink,with soft small leaves, and flower in late Spring for about four months

Forget-me-nots are about 6 - 8 inches high and quite bushy.

They are annuals, not perennials, but always seed themselves abundantly, so they never go away if the

position is right for them. They grow in sun and shade.

After a few years, they tend to spread and become invasive, but it's easy to control them by digging up

unwanted plants. The trouble is, it's tempting to keep them anyway, because a sea of blue spring flowers

round a garden is breathtakingly beautiful.

Step 1: Mark it OutMake your new garden the best it can be. Give it a fun shape with flowing curves or use it to echo the lines of your house.Get it just right by laying out a hose to outline your bed. Once you have the perfect shape, mark the edges with a line ofsand or flour.

Step 2: Get Rid of the GrassIf you have grass growing in your new garden spot, dig it up with a spade or sod cutter. Or, if you have time to wait, mowthat area as low as you can, then cover it with a several-sheet-thick layer of newspaper and several inches of soil orcompost. Wait a couple of months for the grass to die.

Step 3: Dig It Up!Now comes the digging. Dig up or till your new garden, removing any rocks, roots, or otherdebris. If you have poor soil, now's also a great time to incorporate organic matter, such ascompost. Just dig it in while you work the ground.

Step 4: Edge Your New BedKeep the lawn from crawling into your garden with a good edge. A trench about 8 inches deepand a couple of inches wide will stop even the worst invaders from crossing. Alternatively, sinkan edging material around the perimeter of your garden.

Step 5: Site Your PlantsThough it takes a little extra time, placing all your plants before you put them in the ground can make a world ofdifference. This allows you to get the spacing just right and make your plants really will look good next to each other.
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Step 6: Get PlantingWhen you know all of your plants are in exactly the right spots, plant them in the ground. It's helpful to loosen or tease the

plants' roots before you put them in the ground, especially if they were rootbound.

Step 7: Spread MulchOther than amending the soil, the best thing you can do to keep your new garden healthy andlow-maintenance is to spread mulch. A 2-inch-deep layer of shredded wood or other material willdo wonders for stopping weeds and helping your soil conserve moisture during times of drought.

Step 8: Water It In

Once your bed is planted and mulched, give your plants a good soaking. Hint: If your mulch is dry, it may absorb somewater before your plants can. Soak dry mulch well to make sure your plants get enough moisture.
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this list of these Nature's Wonder Workers' Uses and Benefits and you'll see just how insightful you truly are. Possibly a li ttleStrange, but None-The-Less, Insightful.

Worm Composting or Vermicompostingo Vermicultureo Compost Bino Worm Teao Organic Fertilizero Lessen Garbageo Vermicompost Bin

Fishing Worms Attracting Wild Birds Feeding

o Pet Birdso Turtleso Iguanaso Aquarium Fisho Pond Fisho Salamanderso Snakeso Frogso Raising Trouts

Raising Worms at Homeo Worm Farmso Worm Binso Worm Kitso Can o Worm Composters

Nourishing Garden Soilo Vermicompost or Worm Composto Gardens (Bigger Tastier Veggies)o Organic Gardeningo Lawns (Greener Healthier Grass)o

Flower Beds (More Colorful Blooms & Stronger Stems) Fertilize House Plant soilo Hanging Plantso Potted Plantso Garden Plants

Soil Enhancing (Black Gold soil) Eliminating Chemical Fertilizers Food Additives and Red Worm Recipes ...Really

Garden at School

Planning a school garden can be a lot of fun. It is a great place tolearn-by-doing. Teachers, parents and students should help to plan thegarden. The following are some things to think about as you plan yourschool garden.

Planning

Choose a Site. Of course you want a site with sun, good soil anddrainage and probably most important of all, close to water. If your site


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is on school grounds there are probably outside faucets available. Haveyour school janitor check to make sure they are working.

If your school does not have any green space, you may choose a site ona nearby vacant lot . You may have to check with your local city officialto get permission to garden on the lot. Finding water can be a problemfor a vacant lot garden. Many towns will allow you to access a nearby

fire hydrant for water. Check with your local fire department.Involve everybody as you make decisions about the garden. Choose whatflowers and vegetables to plant and where they will be planted.Remember, this is "your" garden.

Dont get overwhelmed with things to do in the garden. Take breaksbetween activities.

Make sure you know what you are to do in the garden and the timerequired for each garden visit. Visit your garden at least one-to-twotimes a week to care for your plants.

Grow veggies and flowers you like. Look through garden catalogs and cutout favorite vegetables and flowers.

Start with crops that mature quickly such as: lettuce, radishes,sunflowers, spinach, bush beans and zucchini.

If your school doesnt have space outdoors, green onions, radishes,lettuce and herbs can be grown in a sunny window in plastic pots ora heavy duty ziploc-quart or gallon freezer bag.

Everybody should have their own space in the garden. A 4 x 4 foot areais a nice size to begin with or at least have a space for your classroom.

Dont let ad ults do everything for you in the garden. Direct the kids

without doing. You can do most garden tasks with gentle guidance fromadults. Do it yourself!


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Eat the food you grow. Have a salad party or help prepare a recipe using"your" vegetables.

Create a journal of your gardening experience. A journal could contain amap of the garden; what seeds were planted; what the weather was;pictures of what flowers were grown; who visited the garden; bees,bugs, birds & butterflies that were seen in the garden; and photos ofthe vegetables that were harvested.

Vandalism can be a problem . It can be very discouraging to grow niceripe, red, juicy tomatoes and then have them disappear overnight. Hereare some tips to help reduce vandalism:

Reserve garden space in the school garden for neighbors who live around theschool.

Hold an "Open House" and invite neighbors to see what you are growing. Visit your garden as often as possible. Recruit your parents and other

students to work on Saturdays in the garden with you. Plant extra vegetables and flowers for the unwelcome visitors. Ask nearby neighbors and local police to keep an eye on the garden. Plan a gathering space in the garden for everybody to gather for gardening

activities such as work days or a harvest festival. Repair damage or graffiti as soon as possible.

Tools You Will Need

Rake Hoe Spade Spading fork Hand trowel Watering can Gloves Rule


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In some schools, gardens are being integrated into the educational curriculum to teachchildren not only about plants, nature, and the outdoors, but other subjects as well.Gardens can teach children about history, economics, poetry, and math, but are stillprimarily used for science studies . If you'd like to visit a school garden, try Lord RobertsElementary School .

What if you do not have a good school yard for a garden? A garden program does notnecessarily have to start out using any outdoor land. Garden programs can be started rightin the classroom on windowsill, cabinet, or table near a window or artificial light source.

Starting a School Garden

Starting School Gardens School gardens can provide an environment in which students can learn to work withteachers, parents and neighborhood resident volunteers while growing plants and learning therelationship between people, plants and wildlife. The lessons that are taught at the garden siteare limited only by one's creativity. School Gardens are a special kind of learning center.Like libraries, they need responsible and knowledgeable people to do all the jobs necessaryto maintain them as functional places in which children will learn. They should be seen as

permanent additions and must be utilized year-round. Below is a framework which youshould consider before starting your garden.

Step 1--Form a Garden Committee As a teacher, you do not have the time that is needed to coordinate the garden program.Someone else has to be responsible for the garden work, finding funds to support the garden,scheduling educational activities, finding and training volunteers, researching anddisseminating information. Forming a garden committee from a pool of dedicated peoplewith those skills, will enhance the success of your program. Look for volunteers among theschool staff, parents, and local residents. Or if you know of a gardener, ask that person tovolunteer, or to recommend another gardener.

Step 2--Define the purpose and objectives of your garden

Every school garden must fulfill some need or objective. This is why each garden is unique.All teachers utilize the garden as a learning aid. For some teachers it may reinforce naturalscience classroom studies. For others it may reinforce social studies. Some teachers mayutilize the garden across all curriculums. Whatever your needs are, by addressing theseissues, you will have a better understanding of the work involved in this stage.

Step 3--Layout your students gardening activities By determining your objectives at this early stage, you will have the opportunity to look atyour lesson plans to see when and what types of garden lessons are needed. If you need helpfinding educational exercises and activities, there are many resources available for teachers(see below). You will need to determine which groups of students will be doing what andwhen, and determine how bed space will be allocated. The experiences and input from yourgarden committee will be helpful at this stage. This is your opportunity to schedule specificactivities at specific times or assign certain tasks to your volunteers.

Step 4--Define a year-round garden plan You have identified what your garden will be like while school is in session. But now, youneed to think about your garden during summer break. The main question is, "Who is goingto keep this garden maintained until school starts?" "How do you want the garden to look onthe first day of school?" A year-round garden use plan will account for any school break.
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Step 5--Choose a permanent garden site and design your garden Your garden site should be in an area that receives plenty of sunlight, has good drainage, andin close proximity to water, electricity and accessible to students, volunteers, and teachers.The site should have enough room for your garden, tool storage, and students. Maintaining alarge garden will use up all of your time and energy so select a relatively small area.

Step 6--Build your Garden according to plan This is the big moment when teachers, volunteers, students and their parents pool theirresources and build this permanent addition to the school.

School GardenConsiderations

Site selection

amount of sunlight needed soil characteristics lot debris drainage protection from damaging winds accessibility-people, water, wildlife, garden materials

Garden design

safety yearly maintenance structures for storage, composting, group gatherings type of materials needed cost effectiveness pathways and garden plot size convenience for teachers and students amount of space needed and its use irrigation-type water system space for expansion fencing, water ponds and open space Annuals, perennial, shrubs and trees

Organizing people

role of students in garden projects parents, teachers, administrators, and volunteers workdays and job distribution scheduling communication, information and education organizational structure, responsibilities garden leader and advisory committees

Site preparation

clean lot-remove trash, rocks, etc. prepare soil mark pathways and garden plots construct beds lay water system fill pathways build compost bin open for planting

Composting

organic matter


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maintenance utilizing compost organisms and wildlife

Garden Care

watering, weeding, soil improvements summer break covercrops protecting plants mulching clean-up planting

Tools, Equipment and Structures

trellis, arbors, fencing garden tools, tool shed and tillers buckets, sprayers, water hose

Resources

financial support for construction, maintenance seeds and transplants

educational materials tools and equipment organic materials, fertilizer, insect control

Liability

physical hazards for students and visitors lighting fencing

Schoolyard Ecosystems and Habitat

flora and fauna fountains, pools, birdhouses and feeders

Theft and Vandalism

accessibility ,light, fencingProduce

utilization of produce source for fund raising health and nutrition

Use of Fertilizers and Pesticides

safe products

environmental effects organic methodology

Documents

garden.docx