Wish List

WISH LIST FOR CHEROKEE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GARDEN

Our next big garden work party will be Friday Saturday and Sunday April 8 9 and 10,2011. Times to be announced or let us know when you can work and what you can do. If you see this post after those dates be assured we will still need your help just call 9186913223 for details. As always we are ready to do whatever the teachers and students need us to do!

In the Bird banquet area south of the school
Plant a cone flower bed for finches and or a hummingbird bed or other bed to attract a particular bird butterfly etc
Plant native wildlife friendly vines (such as native honeysuckle) on the south fence (behind the trees on the ridge south of the school)
Add birdhouses baths and feeders to the garden
Write grants to buy benches plants seeds tools binoculars and field guides etc
Mulch the bird feeder area to minimize mowing around the feeders and trees and benches
Build a bird feeder pavilion to house several types of feeders, extra feed, water etc
Strip turf, dig new beds for coneflowers sunflowers and hummingbird plants. Let Turley Bloom can help with seeds.
Add benches for birdwatchers.
Cut out bird shapes and paint or supervise students painting them then mount them on the south facing wall as an outdoor field guide, repeat with butterflies and flowers. See the barn behind the county extension office for an example.

In the Nectar and color garden at the southwest corner of the school
Build and install a strong trellis with a seat on the south west corner of the building so the wisteria can climb it and students can watch butterflies from the seat
Add painted wooden butterfly cut outs to the walls for an outdoor field guide (see above under bird banquet)

In the Front foundation plantings
Plant groundcovers under the shrubs along the front of the school preferably low maintenance, native, wildlife friendly plants that will choke out weeds. Let us know what plants you can donate or ask us what plants we can supply.

In theVegetable garden
Prepare the fruit and vegetable area for spring planting, generally tidying up.
Also the vegetable area could use soaker hoses laid out in a user friendly manner, a “faucet” set up so it is easy to run a hose to the faucet on the building and easy to loop the hose on a hose holder inside the garden when not stretched out to the faucet
Compost bins
Tool storage shed
Prepare more vegetable beds either raised beds or lasagna gardening
Greenhouse and or potting bench as part of the tool shed
Prune overhanging branches
Cover concrete area with a wooden table
Repair and or build benches trellises birdhouses

General Help we can use in the Cherokee Elementary School garden
Write or purchase a curriculum
Put together a book of projects such as how to build a bird house etc.
Help with signage including a map of a self guided tour of the landscape and plant naming signs
Organize and lead a wildlife census on the school property and or Audubon Christmas bird count, backyard bird count, butterfly count etc
Lead garden celebrations such as cookouts, harvest festivals, wildlife celebrations, garden tours, plant sales, seed swaps and propagation days
Prepare a bed and seed more of the prairie garden (north of the school east of the courtyard)

Adopt a bed
Let us know which area of the Cherokee garden you or your family or organization would like to adopt to care for this summer or indefinitely

Throughout the garden
Add edging and mulch for existing beds. Edging can be just digging a trench and weeding along or around a bed or adding a metal wood or other type barrier to keep weeds out.