The Expanded School Garden Takes Shape

By Madie Murray

Shapes for things to come.

If you haven’t driven by the public school lately, you haven’t seen the magic Ezra Richardson created with a backhoe and bobcat just before Thanksgiving.  In just two days, he transformed the school garden into a lovely, flowing landscape of wide paths, terraced bed areas and a circular sunken “classroom” designed for talks, stories and instruction.

The terracing creates flat gardens beds for more efficient use of rainwater from the catchment tank, which is already full, and the paths are wide enough for students and adults in wheelchairs to easily maneuver through the entire expanded garden.   The design also allows for plenty of refinement around the cob oven and drying shed area, as well as near the conversation circle where the weather station and food prep/washing areas will eventually be installed.

The project included the addition of several tons of rock used to shore up the terraced areas which were supplied by Sea Island Sand and Gravel and delivered by Orcas Excavation.  In addition, 24 yards of exquisite dirt supplied by San Juan Sanitation was added to prepare the soil for veggies, herbs and edible flowers that will be planted in the coming Spring.

If you have the opportunity, feel free to take a stroll through this newly created work of Earth-art and imagine all the joyful lessons it will produce for our children in the not-too-distant future.