This week the girls and I are helping out a little in their school garden. Not much to do, really, as other teachers and PTA parents have worked hard to maintain it all summer. We just get to water the vegetable garden.
Maybe do a nature study of the flowers and creatures we find.
We laugh at the names of native prairie plants such
'Joe Pye Weed' (pictured below)
and wonder what pioneer story is behind that one!
The school garden is made up of a
vegetable garden,
native Illinois prairie plants,
a sensory garden
with lots of yummy smelling herbs
and fun plants to touch,
and lots of sun loving, insect attracting
"happy plants."
We are excited for school to begin!
Thanks to my Uncle Frank I just learned that Joe PYE weed is named after a traditional healer among the Native Americans who was said to have healed typhus with the plant. Other interesting facts? It was also used as a love potion... :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great place to spend some time! Love the butterfly photo!
ReplyDeleteI am excited to see the girls continued interest in "sketching plants"....maybe a future landscape architect in the family?
ReplyDelete