2010-2011 Coordinators: Mrs. Margaret Carlberg and Mrs. Amanda Taylor Garden Guardians Our objectives are to:
Help plant and nurture new landscaping in the classroom block,
Improve the landscape at Cornelia Connelly School,
Give the plants special attention so they will flourish,
Help students and faculty alike recognize and appreciate our diversity plants,
Help students learn the joy of gardening, and service to our community,
Help students and families earn ecology community service credit.
While Garden Guardians are expected to do some work in the gardens each month, there are only occasional meetings called, for special announcements, or planning the monthly homemade baked goods sale. Mrs. Carlberg is available for advice, tools, verification of service, etc. the following times: Most Mondays, and at lunch on other days when she is on campus. Saturday Gardening Days are listed on the school calendar each month, and are a good time to bring parents or friends to help make Connelly more beautiful--and help earn Ecology Family Service credit. Mrs. Taylor is available every day at school!
At the Garden Luncheon and Plant Sale in spring, students and parents who have worked more than 8 hours during the year are invited as guests, and awards are given.
You CAN be a valuable Garden Guardian without adopting a garden area, by helping others, and being available to work on special projects when needed, or just taking care of garden jobs during the week and on Gardening Saturdays. So PLEASE, as we start our 20th year, become an active member of the Garden Guardians, one of the oldest and most visible clubs on campus.
ADOPTING A GARDEN is a privilege and responsibility, to be EARNED after working for 4 hours or more in various Connelly gardens with experienced gardeners. Sign up with Mrs. Carlberg or Mrs. Taylor. They will advise and approve new plants for your area Adopting an area involves: Checking your area weekly, and
Learning about the plants - their names, habits, and needs (and learning to recognize when they are thirsty, hungry, or sick).
Learning how to plant plants properly, from pots, seeds, cuttings
Identifying weeds and removing them by the roots.
Learning how to trim or prune your plants, to remove dead blooms if needed, and to keep them in shape.
Watering and fertilizing as needed. Infrequent deep watering is better than frequent sprinklings, so roots grow deeper.
Garden News for December 2011-January 2012
Connelly is always decorated for Christmas, with our school colors of burgundy and white, and lots of greenery. Note especially the red begonias and green and white Coprosma and Mondo grass "CC" hedges near the flagpole, adopted by the Sanchez '12 family. More than 300 hours from volunteers helped get and keep things tidy and colorful, with 65 helping in November before Grandparents Day and 35 in December before Open House. All the help is very much appreciated.
Student gardens are growing well, showing individual creativity and lots of color, and softening the environment of the classroom block. The already-blooming sunflower, and yellow accents of lantana and daisies along the driveway welcome students and visitors alike. Rachel Curtin '12 and her father are good models of Garden-adopting Families and have made that very important area more attractive each of the three years since Rachel planted 20 sunflower seeds along the very bare stretch of dirt! Another prominent garden by the auditorium entrance that is bursting with color and has additional seasonal decorations was adopted two years ago by the
Butler ('13 and '15) family. Behind Alumnae Hall colorful ornamental kale and ever-blooming day lilies surround the apple and pear trees in a garden which was created almost three years ago by the Yu '13 family. Near there, the loaded lemon tree with rosemary hedge was designed seven years ago by the Yost '12, '09 family and has been kept neat and tidy ever since. These are just a few of the adopted gardens.
On the monthly Garden Days many people work wherever there is a need, and enjoy the camaraderie of other parents, students, with Amanda Taylor and Margaret Carlberg coordinating the work. We want to start a Beautification Committee, with two or three parents from each grade and some students too, who can perhaps meet for half an hour on Garden Days to plan future projects, both immediate and long-range.We hope that this will further enhance the garden development and the Connelly community. Please contact Amanda Taylor (ataylor@connellyhs.org) or Margaret (mcarlberg@ix.netcom.com) if you are willing to help with this.
January 21 is the next Garden Day, where we need lots of help with the major annual pruning of the 80 roses on campus, and some other shrubs, as well as handling the general maintenance of all the 45 garden areas. On the February 4 Garden Day, we will start planting some spring annuals.
Please note that March 10 Garden Day will include the annual Plant Silent Auction and Luncheon 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., following gardening from 8 to 11 a.m. **Note this change (from April) on your calendar. The atmosphere of the Connelly campus truly illustrates the quotation "One who plants a garden, plants happiness."
"The dedicated and supportive teachers and faculty, the energetic and welcoming students, the openness and comfort of the campus, I knew Connelly was the school for me." Katherine, Class of 2011
"Catherine has become a caring, lovely, confident, well-rounded young lady. We are grateful that she has received such an excellent foundation in her religious and academic education. She is well equipped to handle life's challenges." Grandparents, John & Anna Wippler
