This spring a new initiative has sprouted at Palmerston Public School. Green Thumbs has planted vegetable and edible flower seeds, taken cuttings from ivy, pothos, coleus and geranium plants and helped tend the red oak trees for the Green Legacy program. Support for this project has been generous from Blessings Palmerston, with a donation which has purchased soil, pots and other growing supplies. West Coast Seeds provided a large number of seed packages, a grant was provided by SEEDit Commonwell Insurance program which was used for vegetable and herb plants and 10 and 10 Greenhouse and Nursery at Orangeville provided manure for soil health. We have applied for a raised garden box to place by the school sign at the front of the building to create an edible community garden. Community members will be welcome to harvest veggies and herbs and leftover produce will be donated to the Palmerston Food Bank.
There is much evidence that gardening is beneficial for children, from a resilience view of learning to care for living plants, and growing their own food, to being accessible to all, to being good for emotional well being because plant care is mindful work and being in nature is beneficial.