Dale City Elementary School students create a garden featuring Virginia native plants
Prior to leaving for summer break in June 2022, students in the science club at Dale City Elementary School had a first-hand glimpse of the many elements involved in the successful creation of a fully operational native plant garden.
The science club, with help from Keaton Beaumont, fifth grade science teacher, received a matching grant from Earth Sangha, a volunteer-based nonprofit program that propagates local native plants, restores native plant communities, and controls invasive plant species. As a result, every plant purchased by the school was matched by Earth Sangha.
The Prince William County sanitation department also delivered compost and mulch, which students moved to the garden location during the after-school club hours.
This opportunity exposed students to finding funding resources for the garden, identifying native plant species, preparing land and soil, and learning about key aspects of farming and environmental stewardship.
“Thanks to the dedication of the science club, Dale City Elementary School now has a beautiful outdoor classroom filled with native species of plants that will offer opportunities for learning and outdoor experiences for future generations of students,” stated Beaumont.
The garden was planted with native plants from the area and has served many of the butterflies in the area.
The plant choices for this garden are designed to keep it sustainable and to act as an evironmental oasis and teaching space for our school.
Dale City recieved rain barrels with the help of Friends of the Occoquan to reduce water usage and reduce rain runoff. We are striving to create a sustainable garden for future students to enjoy and learn from.
