Course Description
Imagine transforming the weedy asphalt parking lot into a park-like wonderland full of flowers and grasses. Or eating carrots and kiwis from the planter beds and vines growing along the fence. Or clearing up the land behind the school buildings so that the little stream was clean and clear, and Bambi romped with Thumper in plain view. Imagine working with local nurseries, lumberyards and hardware stores to create gardens for struggling families or seniors.
As a way to manifest these ideas, the class will include the following:
-Vegetable Gardening, including starting seeds, winter vegetables, greenhouse management, soil science
-Landscape Gardening, including building planter boxes, choosing plants for size, structure and color, maintenance of a variety of plants, proper tool use
-Irrigation Systems, including pressurized sprinklers, drip irrigation, water collection mechanisms
-Landscape Features, including benches, trellises, fountains and pathways
-Interior Plant Management, including pest control, proper selection, placement
Philosophy
Gardens transform spaces into places, and figure prominently in the legends and histories of all of the world's ancient cultures. In addition, gardens provide food, sanctuary, stress relief and beauty. A beautifully designed garden is a work of art.
Maintaining, installing and/or designing gardens can provide good jobs, a healthy lifestyle and creative juice. Students in this elective will learn basic skills for all three of these occupations.
Growing food to consume yourself, or to sell and give to others in your community, satisfies the soul, and reduces our carbon footprint dramatically. Let's be part of the Eat Local movement.
The Classroom
This class will utilize four "classrooms." First, the interior spaces in the school, into which we can bring beauty and oxygen through houseplants large and small. Second, the asphalt parking area, small lawn, planter or two, greenhouse and general environment around the school buildings. Third, the larger community within a short walk of the school, including Weiss Brothers Nursery. And finally, the town itself - the gardens and parks, natural and formal, which we may visit and study.
Students will need a drawing sketchbook and pencils. Do not worry if you cannot draw - this is not an art class. Sketchbooks will be used for notes, for plant identification purposes and for design ideas.
Behavior Expectations
Students who choose this elective should be willing to get a little dirty, and work a little hard. Since one or more projects may be on-going during a single period, students should be able to work for extended periods of time without direct supervision, and without getting distracted or off-task.
If you come to class filled with ideas and energy and hopefulness, and if you apply yourself to hard work and learning, we'll all have a great time, and change the world for the better. Guaranteed.
If a student routinely distracts others from the teaching and learning, she'll disrupt our ability to complete projects. She'll be asked to stop, hopefully by a fellow student. If the student does not stop, she'll be asked to wait elsewhere until class is finished. If a student repeatedly chooses to distract the class, he will inevitably lower his grade, or have to transfer to another class, or may fail the class.
Grading
A significant part of this grade will be based on your cheerful, eager and willing participation in the projects. There will also be occasional quizzes on technical aspects of soil, plants, building, irrigation or design. Your sketchbook will also be graded.
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