Storybook Garden
The Storybook Garden was installed in the winter and spring of 2002. The garden features a dry riverbed, a working hand pump flowing into a reservoir, and benches covered by a pergola for class seating. Raised beds contain specialty gardens including: an herb garden, pizza garden (shaped like a pizza), fairy garden, Tops and Bottoms, Jack’s beanpole, and a story boat. Whimsical details, such as statuary (the three pigs, two bad ants, etc.) which relate to stories with which the students are familiar add to the enchantment of the garden.
Jack's Garden has giant footprints leading to a giant beanpole planted with hyacinth beans. Wires attached to the pole provide a place for hyacinth beans to grow and form a teepee shape that children can walk under. The beans have lovely purple flowers and pods. The beans inside the pods are green when immature and black with a white stripe when dry.
The Fairy Garden is full of pint sized plants, fairies, and even a home complete with mail box in the shape of a fairy wing. A home, metal garden tools, and “river” make the area appealing for fairies looking for a place to live. A spider frame invites the eight legged creature to spin a web. (Fairies use the webs for trampolines, tents, hammocks, and to make braided rugs.) Be very quiet, the tooth fairy might be resting!
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The plants in the Fairy Garden: |
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Peter’s Garden includes the Tops & Bottoms Garden and Herb Garden that form a square with a small center space accessible through wooden gates. Bronze statues of a girl and boy reading add charm to the enclosed space.
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Herb Dill, fennel, lavender (Spanish), lemon balm, parsley, sage, mint, rosemary, and chives delight the senses in the raised bed of the herb garden. |
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The Tops & Bottoms Garden (named after the book), is planted with peanuts, carrots, and radishes. Four Plexiglas root observation windows allow students to see what is going on underground Tops and Bottoms
The Pizza Garden has almost everything you need to make a yummy pizza. Tomatoes, bell pepper, eggplant, zucchini, oregano, basil, garlic, and cilantro are growing in the circle shaped raised bed.
A Storyboat was the final piece of the garden. It provides a venue for dramatic play and the focus of the Storybook Garden – reading!
