The Central Elementary School Garden is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year! The garden is a wonderful school-wide resource, utilized by our Outdoor Classroom teacher who provides hands-on, curriculum-based lessons for all grades. Many of our faculty incorporate the garden into their teaching throughout the year, and children can enjoy the peacefulness of the garden during recess and after school.
The Central Garden boasts a diverse selection of native prairie plants, wildflowers, herbs, vegetables, and nectar and pollen-rich plants that support the health of butterflies, bees and other insects. The garden is recognized by Monarch Watch as an official Monarch Waystation and by the National Wildlife Federation as a Certified Wildlife Habitat.
Please visit the Garden Open House during the Fall Carnival
During the Fall Carnival, come and visit the garden to see how the vegetables, which were planted by the children in the Spring, have grown and flourished. We will have fun games to play, including searching for pennies in the hay and a scavenger hunt.
We are excited to offer the “Prairie Seed Collection” again this year. Children and parents will be allowed to collect seeds from beautiful native plants in the Central School prairie. These will include Black-eyed Susans, Joe Pye Weed, Aster and Purple Coneflowers. You will be provided instructions for drying and storing these and planting them in your garden at home. Children will be able to decorate the seed storage bags. We hope to see you in the Central Garden during the Fall Carnival to marvel at Mother Nature at work!
Support the creation of a new Friendship Garden and other enhancements
During this 20th anniversary year for the Central Garden, we plan to establish a Friendship Garden within the space, restoring access to an area that had become overgrown over the years. The Friendship Garden will be a beautifully landscaped area with an outdoor lending library containing books and games and picnic tables that offer children a place to sit with friends. We plan to make other enhancements to the outdoor classroom space and replace aging structures such as the shed. Opportunities to support the creation of the Friendship Garden and other garden enhancements will be shared at the Fall Carnival, the Outdoor Movie Night, and through The Scoop.
Volunteer during recess
The garden is open during recess on Wednesdays and Fridays (weather permitting) until early November and reopens in the Spring. Children can spend their recess in the garden to explore, help with garden work, play games with friends, read, draw with provided paper and art supplies, participate in nature art projects or just enjoy this beautiful, peaceful space. Parent volunteers who provide supervision during recess enable the garden to be open and accessible to children during that time.
To volunteer for Garden Recess Duty, please click here.
Volunteer to help work in the garden
Parent and student volunteers help keep the garden alive and flourishing. It is truly a space that brings the school together. If you are interested to support this wonderful resource by putting on gardening gloves with us during a Garden Work Day, please contact the Garden Committee. No prior garden experience is necessary, just a willing spirit!
Please contact the Garden Committee with any questions.