Using the School Garden to Help Our Students, Schools, and Communities Heal
Our first in person gathering after two years of virtual meetings was held in the beautiful setting of Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (CMBG). Our meeting began with a professional development session led by Horticultural Therapist Irene Barber, which included a walk through the sensory garden, a talk on the practices of horticultural therapy in the outdoor classroom plus a hands-on planting activity! Attendees were able to get their hands in the soil and take home the rosemary and succulent pots they created. Learn more about therapeutic horticulture services at CMBG here.
Self guided tours of the grounds were followed by a gathering with our community for a meal, always such a special time for us and gave us the chance to hear all the great work school gardens are accomplishing across Maine! Before the business section of our program, educators from Old Town and Etna-Dixmont Elementary School shared some of the ways their gardens are creating healing spaces for their students, schools and communities.
A special thank you to our in kind sponsors: Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Benson Farm Organic Products, ChopChop Magazine, FEDCO, Maine Garden Products, Skillins Nursery and Wyman’s of Maine. We thank everyone who came to the event and look forward to hosting again next year!
If you or your organization would like to be a sponsor of this event next year, please email Susan Sager, Coordinator, at susan@msgn.org Stay tuned for information!
A special thank you to our sponsors and supporters:
- Benson Farm Earth Products
- Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
- Chop Chop Family
- Wyman’s
