First off, a shout out to my mother-in-law for allowing me to collect (non-restricted) native plants from her property.
As I drove into the school parking lot on Earth Day, I was at first befuddled by the fact that there were no other cars there. Then it dawned on me: it was walk/ride to school day! I felt a bit guilty--the irony not lost on me--that I had driven up to
the school to plant Native plants in recognition of Earth Day. Groan.
The picture above was taken on Earth Day, as students enjoyed the bright sunshine and even brighter tulips as they read by the courtyard garden.
Planting the native garden was a great success! Earlier in the month, I had contacted Aboriginal Kindergarten teacher Susan Leslie to see if her class would like to help me with the native plants, and she said yes! The previous year's kindergarten has just published an interpretive book on the plants in the streamside forest running along the school property, and this year's class also did activities around the same topic. Once again, I was blown away at how knowledgeable and enthusiastic the children were helping me out in the garden. Together we planted oregon grape, native columbine, salmonberry, huckleberry, vanilla leaf, false lily-of-the-valley and--oops--what turned out to be Siberian miner's lettuce. I meant to use the other native variety--it is far tastier! Sword ferns were already there.
Hopefully the native garden will include lilies and wildflowers for early spring interst and more native edibles, and will become an established and (more or less self sufficient) garden of beauty, history, and diversity! We are so fortunate at Ecole Puntledge to have such a beautiful natural surrounding, and such a diverse population of students to learn from.
Thanks to the Kindergarteners from Ab Ed!
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