Created by the California School Garden Network in partnership with Life Lab, Gardens for Learning is a comprehensive guide for Creating & Sustaining School Gardens. In the Planning Your School Garden chapter, there is a section called Creating a Support Network.
Here are a couple excerpts from the guide that speak to the importance of having the school garden project be a group project rather than an individual one to help ensure the long term success of the effort.
Once you have a green light from your administrators, it is time to develop your support network. You will quickly find that garden programs are more work than one person can sustain, so to ensure success, enlist other teachers, school staff, students, parents, and community volunteers to serve on a garden planning and advisory team (which we will refer to as the “garden team”). Members of this team can help you set goals and can provide ideas for ways to integrate the garden into the curriculum. They may promote the program to other parents and community members, secure necessary supplies, provide horticultural expertise, assist with classroom lessons (it is often helpful to have an extra set of hands during classroom gardening projects), or aid in maintenance of the garden. By gathering input and help from a diverse group, you will strengthen the creativity and ingenuity of your program. Their involvement will multiply your resources and create active supporters for your efforts.
Get as many people involved in the project as you can. The larger the project, the larger the support network you need. The more people involved, the more likely it is that your program will be successful, because the weight of the project will not rest on one individual. Make sure to involve anyone who may have a direct stake in your program, such as neighbors whose property will abut the garden, local garden club members, and green industry employees. It is important to contact these key players early in the planning stages to establish a feeling of “ownership.” When people are involved in the decision making and active in the upkeep, they are usually more supportive and less likely to get bored and quit.
To read the full chapter, go to: Creating A Support Network
Want to know more?!
- Gardens for Learning – Creating & Sustaining Your School Garden 98 page Guide Book
