The Lewis School Garden

A new garden is being started on the Lewis school garden site which has been overgrown with weeds, blackberries, and black-walnut seedlings for over three years. Two high school volunteers are scheduled to start working with me next week during our Thanksgiving break.
      I am thrilled to have this opportunity to build a sustainable future by sharing my experience of growing plants by working with nature. I am fortunate for having worked under Alan Chadwick at the UCSC Garden Project in 1968. Anyone who knows about Alan's passion for beauty and knowledge of plants understands what a remarkable experience it was to work under his supervision. He was inspiring. His vision included the abundance that the Earth provides.
      For the new project, I have completed a lovely colored drawing of what the garden can be. Young gardeners will see an uncared for site. Since young gardeners cannot see my vision, I drew an image of the possibilities which shows the fence covered with scarlet runner beans, gourds, morning glories, and sweet peas on one side of the garden. The small narrow space seems transformed by this spectacle of vines alongside the boxes neatly planted with herbs, vegetables, and flowers.
      Once I made this vision in my mind, I felt the garden site was transformed. In fact, the next time I visited this site, I felt glad to be there. I felt the possibilities. As a gardener, I create the garden in my mind first. This vision drives the garden.

November 23, 2013
First garden work day was a great success.  A huge compost pile of this year's leaves and grass clippings is made along with a smaller one for leaves that are partially rotted.  Two boys worked on this.  Two girls organized the two wood piles moving huge beams to consolidate the useful wood.  Our youngest student replanted clivia and fortnight lily in a redwood planter by our gate.  This had to be moved to make room for the giant compost pile.  A student also carefully pruned the rose along the fence.
     I am so proud to be working with these students and look forward to our next work day.

November 25, 2013
     My husband, Barry, came by and gave us some advice on filling in the old pond which Nick carried out beautifully.  Barry checked the wood and said he didn't want to make benches and a table out of that wood as it is not good quality.  He is bringing some of our extra plastic chairs.  Now we just need a table.
      Today our youngest 8th grade student said he is trying to listen better after I asked him if he minded me getting after him about things like listening and not interrupting.  He said that my comments were making him try to listen and not interrupt.  Jasmine and N. also remind him to listen and stay focused on what he is doing. 
     M. got all of the bamboo poles trimmed and stored for the growing season. 
     Jasmine and our youngest student actually planted bell beans as a cover crop to enrich the soil in three beds.  It is a good feeling to have seeds in the ground and watered.
     It is wonderful  to have industrious young people working on this project.  They have high standards for conduct and for the aesthetics of the garden workspace. 

November 29, 2013
The students want to keep gardening.  By the end of the week, we will only have skipped Wednesday, Thursday, and Sundays.  We have huge compost piles and have started planting in the beds-- so far onions, peas, bell beans for cover crop, flower bulbs, and sweet peas.  Today we ate turkey sandwiches at the table and chairs that Barry delivered.  
     We are making some community connections.  The neighboring deli is going to add their leaves to our compost piles tomorrow.  A friend of mine is calling me when she makes cuttings of her chrysanthemums so I can get them for our garden.   Ed Canivari who owns the property next door said that the roses along the fence date back to 1908 and came from his parent's garden.
     I am very proud of our bed preparation team today that included Jasmine, Itzel, L., A., and N.  

December 17, 2013
All of the beds visible from the gate have been planted in a winter cover crop of peas or broad beans.

Those of you who have worked on this project from the start, know that we have been working towards completing the planting all the way to the back corner for a month.  This is quite an accomplishment considering the amount of boards, blackberries, and roots that were removed.  A. V. completed this with me.
      The compost pile is even hotter this week, a sign that the bacteria are doing their work.

      I decided to leave the three black walnuts that are against the far south wall.  I will graft good tasting walnuts onto those trees in January.  We may get walnuts in the years to come.