Fortunately, we had enough team members to conquer it all at once! Shoutout to Ian, a handyman & Tech teacher who restored the beautiful Orchard Garden sign, and shoutout to the rest of our team (Sally, Lorilie, Madi, and myself) who designed and painted the guerrilla garden signs (Ian also helped with the painting too!).
Firstly, I'd just like to point out that today's work party went soooo smoothly considering we knew exactly what materials we had to work with, where all the materials were, and that they were all organized and ready to grab! The beauty of a clean and organized shed! Throughout the work party, we often acknowledged our successful shed clean-up yesterday and how much it really helps to have everything readily available. It was a great feeling.
For the guerrilla garden signs, we planned out what we wanted to write with chalk first before committing to paint. Sally had taken some notes of the important information that we needed to include, and we decided together how we wanted to display the information on the three wooden boards we prepared. After the chalk drafts, we hopped right to it! All hands were on deck with painting the letters, and decorating with some of our beloved guests and stars in the garden: bees & ladybugs and dandelions & flowers.
We are all quite proud of how they turned out! We had the perfect colours of acrylic paint, that we found during our shed clean-up, to combine and use together with new paints Dr. Susan Gerofsky provided as well! The bright colours really stood out beautifully in front of the black background. Our goal was to make them so adorable that no one could dare remove or damage them! In my opinion, they're pretty darn cute!!
After our signage work party, we had lunch! We were so lucky with the beautiful blue sky and shining sun that some of us decided to dine sitting right on the luscious green grass. 🌱🌞
Our afternoon was spent in the UBC Botanical Garden! Fortunately, as UBC students, admission is free. We also found out that memberships are discounted for alumni too! I must admit, I have never been to the UBC Botanical Garden before, and I didn't expect it to be very big. Boy, was I wrong! We were in for a huge treat visiting this absolutely stunning and extensive garden, and by the end of the day we had only visited ~1/5 of the garden according to Dr. Susan!
Just before we began our venture in the garden we were greeted from above by a beautiful Gingko Biloba tree, or maidenhair tree! We suspected it was likely a male tree because female trees have a much more unpleasant smell!
Further into the garden, there were all kinds of educational signs, name tags for plants, and QR codes for more information; it was wonderful to have so much information available at a quick glance or at our fingertips. We enjoyed the songs of a robin in a tree, were in awe of some spectacular woody vines, and witnessed the largest skunk cabbage I've ever seen!
In the Garry Oak Garden, we observed a wide variety of plants and appreciated the Garry Oak trees themselves. I learned that the Garry Oak leaves feel waxy but very dry and have a very distinct shape. I also learned that Garry Oak ecosystems are Native to Canada but are one of the most endangered habitats in Canada. They are significant because they support biodiversity by providing homes for many varieties of plants and animals and connect historical First Nations influence. Fortunately, the plants in this ecosystem can withstand summer drought, and warming temperatures with dry summers create a climate that these ecosystems can withstand.
On our way to the Physic Garden we also explored the Food Garden!
Something particularly neat was seeing the apple trees supported by structures to extend the branches across straight beams like a fence! I have never seen an apple tree like that before! This garden adventure was surely beyond my expectations!
I also learned where strawberries may get their name from. Dr. Susan Gerofsky pointed to the straw distributed across the garden bed and nestled around the strawberry bushes. She noted that the straw mulch helps to prevent mould from growing on the berries! We also wondered if perhaps slugs dislike travelling across straw, too.
Finally, we made it to the Physic Garden! There happened to be a grade 12 class in the Physic Garden when we arrived, so we welcomed the opportunity to sit down together and learn about medicinal plants while we waited! Dr. Susan kindly printed a handout for each of us and we read the information aloud. We discussed the topics together until we entered the garden.
Inside the Physic Garden, there were numerous plants with curative or poisonous powers. It was fascinating to see them!
As noted by the UBC Botanical Garden, beginning in the 1500s, "Physic gardens serve as an important link to the original Botanical Gardens, such as Chelsea, Oxford and Padua, which were built as additions to universities for the education of physicians and apothecaries (early pharmacists)." As a Chemistry teacher, I am very excited for an opportunity to discuss and teach about Physic Gardens and the science behind their curative or poisonous properties. Like marigold or chamomile for example, or stinking hellebore!
I have noticed that the more days I spend in the garden during this CFE, the more and more gratitude, sincere appreciation, and wonder I feel towards plants and trees. I am so amazed and curious. This is just the beginning of my journey discovering so much more about plants and ways that I can incorporate gardens and outdoor learning in my teaching practice!
After today's activities, I also reflected upon the First Peoples Principle that learning is experiential. I felt this first hand, because having the opportunity to see, smell, touch, read, listen, feel, and experience the garden allowed me to learn so much more and better understand what I was learning. Feeling the texture of the Garry Oak leaves and seeing the straw in the garden bed of strawberries helped me as a learner significantly. I will always keep this in mind throughout my pedagogical journey.
I am so grateful for today's adventures!
~Nicole Y.
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