Walled Gardens

A few of our projects involve creating native plant habitats in a school's interior courtyard. Other than a tree--if even that--in all these courtyards, no plants existed other than lawn grass. We go in, and with the students, change these courtyards into native plant gardens, creating areas such as wetlands, pollinator gardens, wooded areas, vegetable gardens, rain gardens, and other micro-habitats. Some of the students grow as much as anything they and we plant in there. Some kids need the challenge of sports, others need the challenge of music; and some need the challenge of planting in a safe place: a walled garden.

Nearing the end of the school year, and working in the courtyard habitat at one of our middle schools, in Fairfax City/County. Talked with one kid a few weeks ago, and asked if he were looking forward to the end of the school year. Stunningly, he said no, because he wouldn't be able to work in the garden as much, and, to boot, his family would be moving away after the school year. Nevertheless, he said (and I'm still amazed) that he wants to come back and still work in the habitat!

His is only one of several stories I've heard about kids who have somehow "found" themselves inside these gardens. In some cases, the kids themselves have told me how much they enjoy the gardens/habitats, and in other cases, teachers has told me about particular students who have turned themselves around in these courtyard gardens. One story: at this same school--Lanier--a boy from a nearby homeless shelter fit in no where. Failing in his classes meant nothing; being threatened with detention meant nothing (the alternative was going back to the shelter); threats to call his parents meant nothing (one was in jail, the other absent). Failure was a way of life--until, that is, he began to work in the garden. Something clicked, and he began to excel in his science class. Maybe he didn't excel in all his classes, but he found a niche that he loved.

Streambed

On the right is a small rain garden

Butterfly Weed