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!

Under the foxglove tree

After a warm welcome and a clearing and reorganizing of the shed, we cleared and reorganized our minds post-practicum. Then we walked towards an unidentified flowering tree nearby. We noticed a heavy, musky perfume, with notes of vanilla, even before we arrived. The blossoms seemed close to finishing. Under this foxglove tree, or Paulownia tomentosa (non-native), also known as the princess tree or empress tree, we realized the hollow, brittle nature of the branches would be ideal for making pencils or even a flute. This led to brainstorming for our first workshop. Previous conversation had touched on the repurposing of harmful, invasive plants, as well as the justifications, possibilities, and tensions common between art education and learning from and with a garden or natural space. We have arrived and are looking forward to the days outdoors ahead.

J, M + K

Madi's notes on plant propagation

 Here's the link:https://docs.google.com/document/d/19wPRGERCyPdVbDD5wQH0PdJ0m8Wib8SklOj_1jBjXeA/edit?tab=t.0

for our January 18 2025 Saturday workshop

And here's the link to West Coast Seeds' instructions on indoor growing of sprouts and microgreens:

https://www.westcoastseeds.com/blogs/wcs-academy/tagged/indoor-growing

You can also access their growing guide here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1y8k_FapBjXmdqwMtIv90Dl9RZ4vjWtSV/view?usp=sharing

Oct 3 visit with Transformative Learning Class!

 We had a wonderful time on October 3 learning from and on the land that is The Orchard Garden, hosted by Madi, as part of EDST 534: The Theory & Practice of Transformative Learning & Education. Through sitting and observing, learning about the medicinal properties of certain plants, and reflecting on and enacting principles of foraging, we all were able to appreciate and think about UBC and our relationship to, and understanding of, nature a bit differently.

Students were invited to take photos (some of which you will see below) of anything that caught their eye and also to write a Haiku that captured, in some way, their learning and experience. Thanks to Madi, Susan and the Orchard Gardens for teaching us!

 

Under pear tree's shade,  

Hands reach for sweet, ripe treasures—  

Learning from the Land. 

Plant pedagogy
Forage but sustainably
Cultivate praxis

Maples, all different

Fruit, to forage, to harvest

Slug, you too belong

the gardens bloom, pure delight

Marigolds burst in colour bright

The cold breeze made the evening quiet

leaves wither to grey

Earth's vibrant hues now fade cold

Autumn’s chill upon

Sitting in the dirt

Staring at the growing figs

Thinking of grandma

 

Migrant birds in flight,

Gardens hum with life's bustle

Hong Kong in my heart.

little flowers bloom

Within the orchard garden

Calming ornaments

Three sisters grow tall, 

Corn, beans, squash in warm sunlight,

root and tendrils meet

Urban greens abound
Leaves whispering city tales
Fruits of nature's peace

A dandelion

Scatters in the open sky

Home remains below

Dandelions sit

While I smell the fire  

Brings me to camping.

Although of different kinds, all plants on this land obey the same law of nature.

They are all dying in this chilly October but are given a reward to look colorful for becoming a part of nature.

Would my life be transformed into a beautiful one if I, a part of nature, willingly surrendered to the same law of nature and became meek?

Grass with dandelion

Autumn is still alive

Just here you and I

Concrete meets the green,

Fruits hang like dreams in the sun

Nature's breath in streets

July 11 Environmental Education Class visit

 On July 11, we had the pleasure of visiting the Orchard Garden, where Madi led our group through the garden to showcase various plants while comparing various ways of growing. We planted the three sisters and painted a sign while munching on the delicious berries! It was really a pleasure to spent this time at the Orchard with such an amazing group. Much gratitude to Madi and Susan.

June 29: Workshop and Last Day!

Greetings! Today marks the final blog post from the Allergy Brigade as we conclude our Community Field Experience and prepare to return to classes next week. For our last day, we hosted the final Orchard Garden Workshop of the school year, enjoying a peaceful morning in the Garden. Our day began with introductions from the wonderful individuals who joined us, many of whom are from the secondary program that recently completed their CFE in the Orchard Garden. We are grateful they took the time to participate in the workshop today!

Our first activity focused on herbal teas, discussing which plants can be harvested, the drying process, and the medicinal and healing properties of these herbs. Participants foraged in the garden for lemon balm, fennel, currents, evening primrose and raspberries. They also made tea sachets of herbs that had already been dried, to make their own blends, taste them and take home. 

The remainder of the workshop was dedicated to making leaf prints with watercolour and acrylic paint. Everyone created beautiful and creative designs inspired by the garden.

Thank you to Susan and Madison for the great few weeks spent in the Orchard Garden. Our time was filled with fun, collaboration, hands-on learning activities, garden work and engaging field trips. We leave this experience with new knowledge and perspectives that we look forward to bringing with us into our teaching careers. The peaceful nature of the garden as well as the opportunity to connect with each other and the land allowed for a much-needed reset after the busyness of our practicums. Here is the commemorative rock made by Danielle, showing the amazing eagle that joined us on our very first day.

Thanks for following along with us on this adventure!

- The Allergy Brigade