IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIH SCHOOL GARDENS llllllllllllllllllllllll^ 
Planning the School Garden 
We can give no special instructions for planning the gardenias this 
will depend on local conditions. Each school will have to plan its own 
garden, first determining how manv pupils will want garden plots, and 
dividing the garden accordingly. 
In some cities where the available ground is limited, they only pro¬ 
vide individual plots for one grade. In St. Paul, Minn., they confine the 
work to the fourth grade, so that each pupil in the school will have one 
year of practical gardening. 
Do not devote all the space to individual garden plots. Always 
reserve a bed five or six feet wide, along one side of the garden, where 
all kinds of biennials, and perennials can be placed, where the semi-annual 
plowing will not disturb them. 
Space should also be provided for experimental, or observation pur¬ 
poses, where the more rare varieties of flowers and vegetables may be 
tested under the supervision of the teacher. This should be made the 
most interesting and instructive feature of the entire garden. 
There are also many kinds of vines, and larger growing plants that 
are not suitable for planting in the small individual plots. These should 
be planted along the fence, or border bed. 
There are three methods of planning the school garden, (a) 
Individual plots where each child has his own plot, (b) Dual plots 
where two pupils work on the same plot, and (c) Community gardens, 
where there are no divisions, the garden being planted as one big area, 
each variety by itself, and all pupils having a general interest in the 
entire garden. 
Each method has its advantages, but probably a combination of the 
three will be the most satisfactory. The individual plots have the ad¬ 
vantage of developing individuality; this however is best accomplished 
in the home garden. The dual or two pupil plan will eliminate half of 
the walks, and tend to develop a competitive spirit. 
Planting the School Gardens at Forestdale, R. I. 
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