A Day at the UBC Orchard Garden: Sunshine, Soil & So Many Species!

Today was one of those golden Vancouver spring days! Sun on our backs, dirt under our nails, and curiosity buzzing in the air. As part of my Community Field Experience (CFE) in the UBC Secondary Education Program, I got to spend a full day learning with the land. It reminded me why I chose to teach in the first place.

Morning: Rain Gardens & Biodiversity

We kicked off the morning at Norma Rose Point Elementary, where we explored their schoolyard rain garden—an oasis of biodiversity tucked between buildings and sidewalks. We spotted 12 to 15 plant species in this one small area, from native flowers to edible herbs, all working together to soak up water and support pollinators.

Wild strawberry patch! Look closely for little white flowers! Those mean berries are coming!

Hanging with the strawberries is our friend lemon balm! Crush the leaves for a calming citrusy scent. 

Teeny tiny blue forget-me-nots peeking through the leaves. 

 Midday Mischief: Guerrilla Gardening by Scarfe

From there, we headed over to the Scarfe Building for some guerrilla gardening. We added seeds ( sunflower, peas, wildflowers, lavender and so much more) to a spot started by Susan with some prolific soil from the Orchard Gardens. We found a few other neglected corners of soil and planted a few hardy, hope-filled greens (and a few rows of carrots....not telling where!). There's something empowering about quietly planting life where no one expects it.

Herb robert chilling with the Northern red oak...room for everyone!

Field mustard! So pretty!

Sun, Soil, and Preparing for the Sisters

After a lunch break in the sun, we headed over to the UBC Orchard Garden for some hands-on work. Our task? Juli and I decided we wanted to  get a plot ready for a Three Sisters Garden—a companion planting of corn, beans, and squash that's been practiced for generations by many Indigenous peoples. I’ve always wanted to try planting one but don’t have enough sun at home, so this feels like a dream come true.

 Big thanks to past students who left this legacy—and to the Maya in Exile Garden at UBC Farms for continued inspiration.

We ended the day with some solid weeding (very satisfying), some plant ID (nerdy fun), and a whole lot of good conversation about learning beyond the classroom.

Onwards!

I left the garden tired, sun-warmed, and deeply recharged. There’s something about weeding, planting, and noticing that slows time and sharpens your sense of place.  This experience wasn’t just about gardening. It was about learning how to notice, how to listen to land, and how to co-create spaces of care and growth. This is something I hope to carry forward in my future classroom (which hopefully isn't confined by four walls!). Heading to stroll Nitobe Gardens in the morning tomorrow and then an afternoon of planting. What a dream!