Gardening is like therapy. I believe that everyone can find something comforting in the garden. It’s like calm away from the storm. Life seems to slow down when you are working in the garden. Gardening like therapy… it’s a place to be creative, think outside the box, find relief and create wellness!
Let your creativity run WILD
and dream of what all your outdoor space could really become!
A little about me…
Hey friend… I’m an art and music loving mama of 3 boys, self taught techie, garden enthusiast, full-time 3rd grade teacher, and the creator of this site called Dreams and Gardens. I am always looking to find fun options and relevant fun ways to teach the skills students need to learn. I also love to help others with their personal landscaping and gardens! I love cute accessories that make me feel happy! I love STEM, Project Based Learning, and School Gardening with kids! I also LOVE web design so if you need a website created, I’d love to help!
Got a schoolyard garden or want to build one? Discover how planting a garden connects children with nature, providing health and educational benefits. I’d love to help you create the schoolyard of your dreams! Follow my blog to get ideas of garden club activities, grant writing ideas, and ways to bring fun to your classroom (inside or outside).
After so many years of running our school garden, I thought it would be helpful to someone for me to share what I’ve learned!
Educational Schoolyard Gardening is my passion! Reach out if you’d like to chat!
Allow yourself some joy! This is my fun chicken bag. I took this photo of my chicken in my garden at home and added an artsy touch to it. The quote says, “I may look calm, but inside my head I’ve pecked you 3 times!”
I find joy in the simple things in life and growth through the seasons of life! I painted this design years ago and just created a bag design with it. I love how it turned out!
School Garden Purpose
Beyond academics, the garden provides more expansive life lessons including teaching youth about healthy lifestyles which includes proper nutrition and physical movement. Through a gardening program, students gain first hand experience with fresh fruits and vegetables. They discover that produce does not magically appear on store shelves and they learn how to grow food themselves. We are working on Healthy Habits for All!!!
The JWE Outdoor Learning Center is a 6,600 square foot natural school garden that serves as an interactive science lab and outdoor classroom for students at Jacob’s Well Elementary School in Wimberley, Texas.
For 9 years now, the garden beds have been maintained by the afterschool Garden Club. The school garden has a rainwater tank, a compost bin, fruit trees, herb gardens, a butterfly garden, a digital weather station and various vegetable garden beds. We have a 3 Sisters Garden bed, a type of bed that American Indians used, a key hole garden that fertilizes itself and a “Pizza Garden”.
We plan to use the garden as a tool for education, ie. math, science, social studies, language arts, writing and social and emotional learning. Gardens improve life skills such as teamwork and responsibility. Gardens foster a deeper understanding of the benefits of eating healthy and increases environmental awareness. Positive attitudes are cultivated by getting students involved with nature with a hands on approach. This natural environment creates a place for students to “wind down”.