Music teacher Natalie Murray and art teacher Caylon Joiner claim that they have learned just as much as their students about gardening during their time in charge of the school garden at Mirror Lake Elementary.
To get ideas for the vacant courtyard at Mirror Lake Elementary, they visited schools with successful gardens in Atlanta. After a few first attempts at establishing the garden, they were helped by parent Evelyn Ortega who had the knowledge to make the garden a reality. Ms. Ortega reached out to the Douglas County Master Gardeners and their president, Marjorie Stansel. The Master Gardeners provided a grant, materials, expertise and actual labor to build raised beds. A group of employees from Target also came and worked in the garden, and Home Depot in Villa Rica donated to the cause. That was three years ago, and now the school is reaping the benefit of having a garden that includes fruit trees, vegetables, herbs, and pollinating flowers.
Because the focus of the garden is to provide plants that promote pollination, the school garden was recently placed on the Rosalynn Carter Butterfly Trail. Mrs. Carter established the Butterfly Trail to inspire people of all ages to plant flowers and milkweed to promote the return and migration of the threatened Monarch butterfly population throughout North America.
“We are able to teach the students how important pollinators are,” said Ms. Murray. “Everyone wins in the pollination cycle, and students learn about the circle of life.”
Students help tend the garden by watering, planting, and pulling up plants that have reached the end of their life cycle. “Students saw the whole life cycle of the sunflower,” said Ms. Joiner. “They planted the seeds in the spring, enjoyed seeing the majestic blooms when they returned to school, and just pulled up the dead plants.”
Many teachers use the garden space for lessons and hands-on learning. Many of the plants provide the perfect opportunity to learn about the senses. Some plants, such as thyme, lavender, and lambs ear are perfect for tasting, touching, and smelling.
Pictured above are Ms. Murray and Ms. Joiner with a group of fifth graders. They have discovered caterpillars on the parsley.
Mallory Holland examines the milkweed plant in search of Monarch butterfly eggs.
