The Giving Garden

The Prairie School's Giving Garden, created by and for the students in 2000, is located in a courtyard setting and has two separate sections. One half of the garden is a butterfly garden and was designed and planted with perennials that attract butterflies and blooms spring through fall. Annuals are added to large pots throughout the garden to help extend the bloom time. Prairie's Giving Garden has been certified as a Monarch Waystation through Monarch Watch by meeting the group's requirements of adequate milkweed, nectar, and shelter.

The other half of the Giving Garden contains seven raised beds, at least one for each grade level in our Primary School, for growing vegetables. Each grade level plants a different vegetable, usually in early June. There is also a large area that is used for vine crops and tomatoes. Many plants, such as, tomatoes, peppers and flowers are started in our greenhouse late winter, early spring, to be transplanted outdoors in June. Any extra tomato, pepper plants and flowers are sold in our plant sale that takes place from the end of May until the end of the school year. The money raised helps support our garden.

Students in Early School through Grade Four do much of the upkeep of the Giving Garden. They harvest, weed and replant the boxes. Several grade levels use the garden and greenhouse to support their curriculum. Even though our Giving Garden started in the Primary School, many Middle and Upper School students and families support the garden. Over the summer, many people volunteer to weed and harvest the garden or turn the compost. In the summer, all of the food harvested is taken to the local Food Bank. During the school year, much of what is harvested is used in our hot lunch program.

Our composting project improves and expands every year. Much of the food waste from the kitchen is added to the compost daily, along with paper napkins and garden waste. It has greatly reduced the amount of garbage we send to the landfill.