Welcome to the Woodlawn Garden!

Woodlawn School's organic vegetable and flower garden serves as an outdoor classroom for gardening and science classes. Students in grades Kindergarten through sixth grade spend time in the gardens each fall and spring growing vegetables, herbs and flowers. Students plant, weed, harvest, add compost and have fun learning science concepts in the gardens. At the end of the growing season students take home organic produce they have grown themselves. Students also take home knowledge about the natural world. In the garden, students become comfortable in the natural world, learning that bees and birds pollinate our vegetables, that seeds grow into lovely flowers or vegetable plants, and that nature cycles nutrients from soil into plants and back into the soil. Instead of adding chemical fertilizers or weed killers, garden classes pull weeds and enrich the soil with nutrients by adding compost. The organic gardening methods support Woodlawn's mission of teaching environmental sustainability. Students are able to see butterflies, bees and birds in the gardens because of Woodlawn's earth-friendly practices. Organic gardening practices provide a wholesome environment for Woodlawn's students and teach students how to be good stewards of the earth.

Garden Mission

To educate “responsible, contributing members of a diverse, global society” by teaching sustainable organic gardening practices, learning about biodiversity and sustainability in the garden environment, and by growing tasty vegetables and fun flowers through which we learn the pride and satisfaction of growing our own food.

Garden Guiding Principles

Mouse over each photo below to see the eight guiding garden principles.

Woodlawn’s gardens are organically maintained to support our philosophy of sustainability and to make a safe, wholesome place for children to learn and grow.

Gardening establishes seasonal rhythms in children’s lives much like traditions and holidays do.

Gardening gives children a sense of place, time and belonging.

Gardening helps children value the earth and all its creatures and cycles and helps children grasp earth’s complexity.

Gardening helps children to be comfortable in the natural world.

Gardening teaches children that food is a product of a complex process and helps children value vegetables as nutrition.

Gardening is a place where children can be kinesthetic learners and improve their fine and gross motor skills in a non-competitive environment.

Gardening supports Woodlawn’s mission of educating independent life-long learners who are responsible members of a diverse global society.