We are so happy that Bonny View Elementary School applied for our Acorn Grant this spring! This grant can be used to purchase native plants and other supplies for school gardens, that will then give students a practical knowledge of native plants.
We donated plants that will primarily bloom in the school’s colors, blue and yellow, during the school year. A few plants that the students will enjoy include yellow-flowered arrow-leaved buckwheat (Eriogonum compositum var. compositum) and bush monkey-flower (Diplacus aurantiacus), and blue-flowered foothill penstemon (Penstemon heterophyllus).
The garden also contains common madia (Madia elegans), some of which is growing almost as tall as the fence! A neat thing about this species is that, even when it’s not getting much water, or the soil is hard, it still makes the same-sized flowers, just on much smaller plants. We plan to collect more madia seeds this fall to resupply the garden, a task the students may be able to take on in the future as a classroom activity.
Photo by MaryAnn McCrary.
Within a year or two, the garden will have beautiful blooms and great variety. Students will have opportunities to get hands-on gardening experience while appreciating the natural beauty.
When you support the Shasta Chapter CNPS, you support education about native plants for children as young as kindergarteners, all the way up through students pursuing their college and graduate degrees. For further information about and applications for our Acorn Grant, please see our website page, Scholarships & Grants. -MaryAnn McCrary