Mckinley Garden Courtyard

The Mckinley Garden Courtyard is a lovely outdoor classroom and garden created at this point with the funding from the Lowe's Toolbox for Education grant.   We have four picnic tables for outdoor classroom time or for a lunch time cafe.  We have six raised beds, containing vegetables.   We have a brick half-circle herb garden bed and 6 large containers full of tomato plants and raspberry and blackberry bushes.  As well we have a 6'x6' greenhouse where we started and housed our seeds and starts before planting.  The garden is in what used to be a very barren cement courtyard surrounded by black iron bars in an urban setting in the city of Erie..   The mission for the garden courtyard is to beautify the school and community by creating more green space, have students participate in garden lessons and curriculum, be inspired and grow food for our studens and community.   As well, the garden courtyard will be used this summer to host a free meal program for students in the community funded by a seperate outside group.