The PS11 Garden

The PS11 garden had a long history but really began to come together in the Fall of 2008 when a school parent energized the garden by forming a garden committee and holding weekly meetings. In the Spring of 2009, a bright red fence was built and perennial plants along with herbs and vegetables appeared right away in raised beds and in the ground. Three years later, and under the leadership of a different PS11 parent, the garden is still expanding and growing more and more edibles thanks to a grant to the Garden Committee in the Spring of 2011 from GrowToLearn.

The mission of the The PS11 Garden is to provide students at the school with a learning environment where they can connect with the natural world. The PS11 Garden is a beautiful and healthy addition to the PS11 Elementary School. The physical presence of the garden provides a quiet and refreshing environment just outside of the school cafeteria and adjacent to the students’ play space. There is a second space on the 2nd floor playspace/balcony filled with raised beds and edible plants.

Please see our schedule of activities here.

The school garden is a remarkable place, especially for city kids, to learn about the interconnection of plants, animals, humans, insects and the earth. In the garden setting, the students observe nature and begin to learn classification systems used in talking about the natural world. These strategies of classification and observation are a natural part of the childhood intellect and are also important concepts of natural science studies. The students grow edible plants in raised beds and develop a first-hand knowledge of where food comes from. They compost, helping them understand how decomposition plays a part in the cycle of growth. The students develop civic responsibility and neighborhood pride as they perform the physical work the garden requires and see the positive results of their labor.

If you are a parent at the school, please volunteer here.

The garden plots are comprised of a butterfly garden, reading garden, vegetable/fruit/herb gardens and a kids geometry garden of colorful shapes. There is a garden storage shed and a composting area as well. Much of the space is filled with native perennial plants supplemented by non-native perennials, tender perennials and annuals. The reading garden has benches amid perennials so that children can relax and read in comfort. Vegetables, fruits and herbs are grown in many raised beds and large containers in the sunny areas of the garden. Several perennial beds have been created in the shape of a square, circle and rectangle and are filled with colorful flowers. Growing green plants, vines and flowers flourish where packed dirt previously existed has been very gratifying for school students, parents and the larger school community.

Parent volunteers form the core labor force in the PS11 garden. Teachers receive a list through the Principal’s newsletter letting them know they can then sign up for garden activities. These activities vary seasonally and range from general maintenance, planting, composting, watering, harvesting and weeding among other activities. In 2011, the PTA’s Garden Committee expanded compost collection to include street tree leaves. The Committee also built a rainwater collection system which supplies kid-powered watering activities during warm weather.

Many plans are in store for the 2011-2012 school year too. Keep posted for more information.