September 27, 2010

By: Kristin S. from Pearl River, NY
Comments: 23

Posted By: Kristin Shaw
On: 4/25/2008 7:15:52 AM

Richard and I have been working on the "exterior design" of our school. This semester our focus has been on the community garden at our campus site. In the past, this has fallen into disrepair and we have as our goal to introduce some new vegetation that both the school and community can appreciate. Our class project has focused on testing the soil and growing our plants in the classroom during the winter months and now, we are looking forward to transferring these plants into the garden...now that the good weather has hit our area. My goal is to photograph our progress and hopefully, load the pictures onto the site for all to see. Our next stage should involve artistic additions to the community garden, as designed by the students. Stay tuned!!!

Posted By: Marie Tom
On: 4/26/2008 8:23:23 PM

I love the fact that you are putting some artistic artifacts in your garden. My little garden has some old logs, big enough to be yuel logs and I have been wondering what to do with them. If anyone has some great ideas let me know. I have 5 of them. I had thought of using them for flowers to sit on. On parent thought we should stretch some boards across them and use them for seats. They are pretty dry, or I also thought they could be carved out and then things planted in them. I'm open and ready for suggestions. Marie Tom

Posted By: Nancy Gerber
On: 4/26/2008 10:42:17 PM

Could the logs serve as a base for sculpture or a display of student work? Perhaps they could be the base of a stand to hold plaques with information about the garden. Kids could design chairs or garden stools. In my home garden I have bird baths on logs. It is wonderful that logs are a resource for creativity.

Posted By: William Bobrowsky
On: 4/27/2008 7:07:29 AM

Kristin-I really like the idea you are putting into action here. As a science guy, I'd be thinking about how to incorporate some evolution or genetics concepts in there! Maybe grow some plants that are evolutionarily related or a range of different plants, so of which will survive in your climate, others that may not. Or for genetics, you could, in the winter, re-enact (sort of) Mendel's Pea plant work, and do some experimental crosses. I know, I know-not really about design, well, maybe design experiments for them to do involving your garden. Enjoy. -Bill

Posted By: Michelle Dalton
On: 4/28/2008 7:36:50 PM

Perhaps the logs could house some type of nature friendly material that could double as a home for birds. Maybe the logs themselves could be made into a type of birdhouse or birdfeeder? At my son's school they offer the garden up for "adoption" to families to care for throughout the summer... perhaps this could be done for your garden if you choose to make the logs into a type of birdfeeder? Have you offered the "Log Quandry" as a "problem" for students to solve? Sounds like fun! Michelle