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Accessible Gardens

Looking for Opportunities to Grow

Submitted by cynthiad on Mon, 07/16/2012 - 11:10
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By: 
Becky Wivagg with Cynthia Domenghini, NGA Staff
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Looking for Activites to Help Youth Grow?

Download these free attachments and get your students outside!

Discover a Rain Garden (PDF) »
Discover a Sensory Garden (PDF) »

When faced with numerous challenges, probation officers at Rockwall County Juvenile Services have decided to teach their youth to grow.

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    • The Rain Garden is an Effective Tool

    Submitted by cynthiad on Sun, 04/15/2012 - 14:31
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    By: 
    Rose Judd-Murray, NGA Staff
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    A Book for a Rainy Day

    Title: The Listening Walk
    Author: Paul Showers
    Illustrator: Aliki
    ISBN: 978- 0064433228

    Installing a rain garden in your home landscape can create family interactions.

    “Because Your Children Live What They Learn…”

    Submitted by cynthiad on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 10:36
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    By: 
    Cynthia Domenghini, NGA Staff
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    Here are some meaningful plant selections to incorporate into your peace garden:

    Rhododendron - in Russia, the blossoms signify peace, health, and purity

    Mistletoe - in Scandinavia, associated with Frigga, the goddess of love

    White pine tree - for the Native American Haudenosaunee, or Six Nations Peoples, the five needles joined together indicate unity

    Peace Rose - a rose variety introduced in 1945 to commemorate the end of World War II

    Sunflowers - a symbol of freedom from the threat of nuclear weapons during the 1990s. Sunflowers are warm and welcoming; grow in friendly crowds; and produce nutritious seeds for people and wildlife.

    Cosmos - named after the Greek word for well-ordered universe; symbolizes peace and order

    Education in the garden is a great way to teach kids to live responsibly and peacefully.This philosophy, from the creator of Playschool Child Care, Inc., Carol Acosta, is what continues to guide the program more than 25 years later.

    The Beginning of a Library Garden

    Submitted by cynthiad on Tue, 10/11/2011 - 10:54
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    By: 
    Cynthia Domenghini, NGA Staff
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    NGA's Own LibraryGardens.org

    Libraries have a unique opportunity to provide a visual connection between literature and nature. Grants are available to support library gardens, but often require someone with a vision. National Gardening Association offers assistance in this area. Whether you’re interested in developing a particular theme garden or a garden that encompasses a variety of books, our professional staff of landscape architects, horticulturists and educators can help you develop your vision. Visit Library Gardens for more information about how we can design your library garden which will in turn help you as your seek support for funding the installation of this space.

    The Village of Plain City Garden features several animal topiaries named after classic authors.In an effort to preserve the historic Village of Plain City, Ohio, local gardeners and members of the county Master Gardener program pulled their resources to establish a landmark for the town.

    Raised Bed Gardens 101

    Submitted by sarahp on Thu, 09/13/2012 - 00:25
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    By: 
    Sarah Pounders
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    Looking for ways to teach youth about raised bed gardens? Download the following pdf files:

    Raised Bed Garden Design Contest Lesson

    Raised Bed Garden Materials Comparison Worksheet

    Structured raised bed gardens help school gardening programs thrive. Although they increase the initial investment of time and money, raised bed gardens are generally easier to maintain and allow young gardeners to spend more time learning in the garden, rather than struggling with challenges like difficult soil conditions and weeds. They also provide garden programs with a more permanent presence encouraging participants and administrators to view the garden as an important resource that should be used often and sustained over time.

    School Gardens = Natural Playgrounds

    Submitted by cynthiad on Mon, 08/13/2012 - 15:07
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    By: 
    Cynthia Domenghini, NGA Staff
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    Teachers at the K-State Center for Child Development use the produce from the garden to prepare simple dishes with their students. Here’s a recipe for Caprese Salad that is easy to make in a classroom.

    Ingredients:

    • Thick slices of a Ripe Tomato (enough for each child to have at least one)
    • An equal number of slices of fresh mozzarella cheese
    • Twice as many leaves of fresh basil
    • A pinch of salt and pepper
    • Olive oil

    Make sure everyone washes their hands and the work surface prior to touching the food.

    Starting at the edge of a serving platter, place a slice of tomato, a basil leaf, a slice of mozzarella and another basil leaf. Continue in that pattern, forming a spiral from the outside in, until all the ingredients have been arranged. The salad should end in the center of the platter. Drizzle the salad with olive oil and sprinkle with black pepper and salt.

    Upon arriving at the Center for Child Development (CCD) on the campus of Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas, visitors quickly recognize the uniqueness of the facility.

    Holding Onto the Garden — Environmental Sustainability

    Submitted by cynthiad on Tue, 06/12/2012 - 10:01
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    By: 
    Cynthia Domenghini, NGA Staff with Carol Fraser
    Tips for increasing the environmental sustainability of your site's garden.

    “We make decisions in the garden based on what is good for the earth, not solely what is good for our short-term needs.” (Hurricane High School, Hurricane, WV)

    Promoting Environmental Stewardship through Rain Gardens

    Submitted by cynthiad on Thu, 03/29/2012 - 11:37
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    By: 
    Ann English for NGA with Cynthia Domenghini, NGA Staff
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    How to Design a Rain Garden

    This detailed account provides step-by-step instructions for designing, installing, and maintaining a rain garden. Additional content provided to use this as a high school activity. Download How to Design a Rain Garden (PDF) »

    Instructions for how to install a rain garden and use it to promote environmental stewardship.

    Rain Garden at Coolidge High School, Washington DCSchool gardens have a long and successful history with a variety of purposes.  Ninety six percent of the 2010-2011 National Gardening Assoc

    Outdoor Living in the School Garden

    Submitted by cynthiad on Mon, 03/05/2012 - 15:53
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    By: 
    Candace Clavin Rein with Cynthia Domenghini, NGA Staff
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    Learning in the Outdoors

    Here are two lessons created by our staff at NGA to get your students learning in the garden.

    Image taken from: Adirondack ArtImage taken from: Adirondack ArtA footprint map is a visual of animal footprints used to identify animals. Guides showing local animal tracks are a great way to help your students identify garden visitors. Tiny identification guides can be downloaded online and tucked into garden journals. Posters are also available for display in the classroom. Do a search of animal footprint maps to locate a guide for your area.

    Visitors to the NGA headquarters at Vermont Garden Park sitting comfortably outdoorsMany times, as gardeners, we think of the garden as “ours”. The garden exists to fulfill our purposes whether to provide food for our family, education for our students, or a beautiful setting for family and friends to enjoy.

    School Gardens are for Everyone

    Submitted by editor on Tue, 03/16/2010 - 14:27
    in
    Creating Accessible School Gardens and Garden Activities

    Do you remember watching butterflies floating through the garden when you were a child, and your amazement at their skill and grace?

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