The program, which began three years ago, has taught multiple Copperopolis children the benefits and beauty of gardening. The club built above ground vegetable gardens for each classroom at Copper school and taught the children about seasonal vegetable growth and cultivation. Due to the strict guidelines on pesticide use around children the club used this opportunity to also teach the children about natural pest controls, ie: plants that repel certain bugs.
Each spring the group, which seems to grow every year, brings their shovels, trowels, rakes, pruning shears, and plenty of garbage cans and hits the ground running. Upon entering the school grounds the first noticeable overgrowth tended to was the 'elephant grass' that can cut and slice at little hands and had all but covered the fire hydrant. Moving from there the team spread out weeding flower beds that they had so lovingly planted years ago with bulbs and have since split the bulbs and planted more through the school grounds. They weeded the gardens, pruned the roses, the flowering trees and tried desperately to remove the invasive crabgrass seemingly one root at a time.
While education and maintenance was their main goal when beginning the project their plans have grown to incorporate a landscape project for the front of the school. The group has applied for grants and has talked with many nurseries for discount purchases...to date no grant has come through. With their limited budget the group is now hoping for community support for this project.
Their wish list is topped with the need for a landscape designer that will donate their time and expertise to supervise the project. They are also in need of funds to help purchase the ground cover plants and soil. Donations of compost from local businesses has greatly reduced the initial cost of soil, yet more will be needed.
If you would like to help with this project please contact the Saddle Creek Garden Club President Beryl Simkins at berylsimkins@gmail.com.
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