School gardens can be a vibrant component of a larger living schoolyard and can often be a school’s first foray into greening efforts and outdoor learning. Most school gardens are defined by food crops and annual plantings in raised beds, but in more established programs, or in places with more unpaved areas, they can also incorporate in-ground beds and perennial plantings. These dynamic spaces support greater student engagement in a wide range of activities, increased opportunity for self-directed and experiential learning, the use of free onsite natural teaching resources — such as trees, birds, insects, and flowers — and, especially in a pandemic, a spacious open-air classroom for teaching and learning. School gardens bring joy and beauty to the school day. They also support the mental and emotional health of students, which is important to consider as schools reopen. Best of all, school gardens can be created without a lot of money. In our articles on curriculum, outdoor classroom management, ensuring a positive experience outdoors, and professional learning, your school or district will discover more insight into using a school garden as an outdoor classroom effectively. Additional outdoor learning resources for teachers can be found here.

In this article, we review the basic steps needed to create and maintain a school garden as part of your COVID-19 response or your larger living schoolyard greening efforts. From design to maintenance, we provide initial guidance to get you started. For a comprehensive guide to creating outdoor spaces, please see that section of our library. And visit our Health Guidance page for more on the benefits of being outdoors.

Initial Planning

Before you can build a school garden on your site, there is some thoughtful planning to be done. From evaluating your site’s potential constraints (e.g., are there nearby water sources?) to understanding the goals of the project, school communities should come together to make a plan. The National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Library chapter on Creating Outdoor Spaces is a comprehensive guide to designing an outdoor learning space. In this section, we review some planning considerations and design ideas specifically for school gardens. 

Involve school administration and facilities staff. School administration and facilities buy-in is critical to a successful garden project. These community members should review and can provide assistance with various aspects of the garden spaces.

Initial site planning is essential. Taking the time to plan your outdoor classroom will result in a space that is used and maintained into the future. Our article on outdoor infrastructure planning strategies is a helpful place to start. In addition, there are important tips specifically for garden spaces. Gardens need sun and water to thrive. Making sure your school selects a space that can provide these is critical. Hauling a hose more than once is not a sustainable option. See our article on Addressing Noise and Sound Outside for considerations on where to locate your garden. Use maps to start laying out potential garden areas and outdoor classroom concepts and review these with the school leadership to ensure buy-in prior to construction. Make sure the garden is placed out of the way of fire lanes. Call 811 to locate buried utility lines if you plan to dig. See our Context and Planning Considerations articles, as well as our Outdoor Infrastructure Planning Strategies and Downloadable Tools, on our Creating Outdoor Spaces page for comprehensive resources to support this step of your process. 

Consider environmental factors. Factors such as where there is shade or sun, natural or existing wind blocks, and seasonal weather effects can influence the level of comfort in the garden. Plan seating in the appropriate areas, taking into account shelter from weather, sun glare, and reflection off of buildings and pavement. Lead and soil contamination are important to rule out before beginning a garden project. If lead in the water source is a concern, consult with the school district for guidance on water use. Test any existing in-ground soil before planting. 

Set goals. In setting goals for the garden classroom, include who will use the space, what they will teach and learn there, and how you want the program to look and feel. Your goals can also include top priorities related to getting students back in person during the pandemic. In addition, your plan can include any potential future goals for expansion

Communicate with the larger community. Include your larger community in the planning and communicate the project’s goals and needs. Design and install signage and other visuals to introduce the garden to the neighborhood. Establish a community forum or focus group to find out what people want in the garden. Plan a system to evaluate progress of the garden through surveys or other systems for feedback.

Consider removing asphalt. Consider removing asphalt from outdoor areas to accommodate softer surfaces and larger-scale gardens that meet the needs of multiple grade levels. An added benefit of asphalt removal is increased stormwater sequestration and improved landscape performance, which can be attractive to local water utility agencies. See our article on the potential of green schoolyards to provide ecosystem services within communities.

Ensure accessibility. Install accessible pathways and signage. All features included in the garden should be adaptable to users of all abilities. Fine crushed gravel, decomposed granite, or ¼-inch minus with fines compacts well. Look out for areas that are prone to runoff or flooding, as decomposed granite can become muddy. Given the student population, the garden may need to include a transition area where students can gather, listen to instructions and expectations, and then enter the space. Clarify where students should stand or sit in order to distance appropriately or where they need to stand to access certain garden features like a raised bed or project station. Consider the height of garden features for people in wheelchairs and mobility assistance devices for people who cannot bend down or work on the ground. See our article on Inclusive Design for Outdoor Spaces for more.

Plan for security. Depending on where your school is located, you may be concerned with the security of your garden space and the materials and supplies stored there. Consider a locking shed with enough space to store tools, teaching materials, and equipment. When appropriate, think ahead to the mature heights of plants when arranging outdoor seating and other infrastructure to ensure that sight lines are maintained.

Utilize the expertise of local professionals. Engage community members such as landscape architects, planners, horticulturists/arborists, or master gardeners, who may be willing to donate their time to help plan and design the garden. They may have contacts to free or low-cost materials, grants, partnerships, and ideas to expedite the process. Local community service groups, including county extension agents, scouts, rotary clubs, FFA, and 4-H, can support the construction and maintenance of gardens. Local garden clubs, gardening groups, community colleges and land grant universities can provide expert gardening advice and seeds and plants for the garden. Reach out to high school CTE programs to help construct gardens. Outdoor education organizations can support staffing, programming, and maintenance.

Incorporate COVID-specific Considerations. If classroom doors open out directly to the schoolyard — especially for lower elementary grades — each class can leave the doors open to the area immediately outside the classroom. Teachers can convert the space into a garden with outdoor seating, shade, and access to a water station for handwashing and drinking. This will help limit the number of children inside at a given time by rotating the number inside with those outdoors — each class with its own garden to use.

Ongoing Maintenance

Maintenance is one of the first considerations in planning a school garden. Over time, gardens and their care should be embedded into the culture of a school, becoming a rewarding part of students’ learning experience, and where staff, students, and the community can take pride and ownership in the space. Here are some general strategies and tips related to garden maintenance.

Outline a clear communications plan with school staff, teachers, community members, facilities staff, and the school administration. Clarify the roles and responsibilities of each member of your community, from teaching in the space to garden tasks such as planting, irrigation, weeding, debris removal, harvesting, and maintenance during school vacations. Make garden care part of class assignments, community service time, community building events, or project credits. Keep students engaged in the garden with “anytime” activities such as pest collection, weeding, watering, sifting compost, saving seeds, and spreading mulch. Designate staff or a volunteer coordinator to organize garden scheduling, activities, and events, as well as maintenance. Plan recurring community workdays. Be sure to rotate tasks to avoid burnout and provide everyone a chance to participate and share ownership. Involve parent organizations to support fundraising, volunteer coordination, and other garden-related programs. Some schools employ a paid garden coordinator to oversee garden education and maintenance. Whether it is parents, community volunteers, a paid garden coordinator, or school staff, these roles should all strive to create a maintenance calendar and review it monthly with staff and stakeholders. They should also plan for off-season care by enlisting families to take turns caring for the space.