Part of the Landscaping and Horticulture program, the garden project started in 2020 includes a vegetable and herb garden, flowers and ornamentals, an orchard, greenhouse, hoop house and various composting techniques to build garden beds onsite. Aquaponics and Hydroponics are part of the grow lab inside.
Students participate in a two-year program that offers everything from how to run a small business to integrated pest management, landscape design, and how to prune for agriculture and horticulture. And they learn it all not from textbooks and lectures, but by actually doing it.
Students have been working to beautify large areas all around the campus with both ornamentals and fruits and vegetables, seen along the front entrances as well as the pre-k outside play area. While students learn the business side of landscaping and horticulture, they also learn about the symbiotic relationship between plants and people. Students study all the ways in which plants provide us with everything from the oxygen we breathe to a more climate resilient future. They are experimenting with more resilient gardens by utilizing drought tolerant plants and permaculture techniques such as hugelkultur beds.
Plants Plus is the student-run greenhouse specializing in seasonal annual plants and products, vegetable starts as well as any special horticulture needs they receive by request. The group hosts 4 plant /floral sales a year.
Want to know more?!
- Contact Pamela Durack at pdurack@sanford.org
- Plants Plus student run greenhouse Facebook page
