School Garden & Greenhouse
School Garden Program
Our gardens are productive, fun, and beautiful spaces where Trinidad students smile, learn, and grow. Fueled by our students' incredible energy, dedicated staff, and local community support, the garden is a living classroom.
"To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow."
Our Greenhouse & Seed Starting
Thanks to a dedicated group of parents, our beautiful campus greenhouse allows Ms. Leuck and our students to start almost all of our vegetable and flower garden plants right from seed. Students spend the cold winter months preparing soil, planting at appropriate depths, and tending starts as they wait for the warm spring soil.
Our Native Rain Garden
Our custom rain garden features two functional swales that safely direct water from roof downspouts. It holds three specialized Hugelkultur (layered wood) mounds planted with local blueberries, raspberries, osaberries, and huckleberries, alongside a diverse array of resilient native plants.
Our Partners & Benefactors
Our garden is supported passionately by the Trinidad School Education Foundation (TSEF). We are deeply grateful for material and plant donations from the Saunders Family, Gardner & Bloome, Wes Greene Landscaping, Northern Horticulture Supply, Lindquist Landscapes, and Samora Native Plant Nursery.
Hands-On Garden Care
Students handle real, hard working tasks in the soil. They manage our compost bins, care for our "worm fort," pull weeds, build bamboo teepees for growing peas and beans, shovel manure, and care for our young orchard fruit trees.
How Classrooms Use the Garden
The garden blends right into our academic programs:
- 2nd Grade: Releases classroom-raised butterflies and ladybugs to help control greenhouse aphids and pollinate the grounds.
- Home Ec & Kitchen: Harvests fresh kale, lettuce, onions, garlic, and broccoli to enrich our school lunch menu and home recipes.
- Art & Photography: Ms. Thao and our digital photography classes use the garden regularly for creative inspiration and composition.
- 8th Grade Leadership: Brings team strength and coordination to tackle heavy landscaping and maintenance tasks.