Come on over to see the gorgeous vegetable garden at Riverside! Generously funded by the PTA and built by Jim Charling (grandfather of Eric), with assistance from Aaron Charling (Eric’s dad), the new garden is thriving!

This new garden design enables a full class to fit and work, learning all the wonders of planting seeds and seeing them grow and produce vegetables and herbs. The garden is made up of two long rows of beds on either side so that the children have space to move in between without tripping on each other.

Stay tuned for planting plans, but in the meantime, drop by to admire our new space or check out the pictures on The Riverside Reel.

Sign up during the year for garden maintenance. We would love your help or even come to admire all the flowers and vegetables and creatures living there!

Below find some great links about gardening and local parks to go visit:

• Gardening with Kids: How It Affects Your Child's Brain, Body and Soul by PBS/Parents

• Beginners guide to gardening with kids by Messy Motherhood
• From planning and craft-making to planting and harvesting with kids, a list by Gardener's Path
• Favorite Gardening books for kids, a list by Bright Horizons
• Gardening tips for beginners from Planet Natural, start that garden today!
• Encourage little hands to plant, water, and grow using the easiest seeds and the best methods by Earth Easy

• Why Garden with Native Wildflowers? Learn more at US Forest Service

• Learn more about Native plants from National Wild Life Federation.
• A great resource for planting to create the proper biodiversity Wild Seed Project
• Local resource at Bartlett Arboretum
• Suggestions on where to plant by Gerbert and Sons
• Garden tours by Garden Conservancy
• More tips from a local resource by Greenwich Botanical Center 
• Local community gardens at Greenwich Community Gardens

• Opportunities for kids to learn and grow through gardening, engaging their natural curiosity and wonder Gardening with Kids
• Learn more about participating in the town-wide food scrap recycling program at Waste Free Greenwich

Riverside Garden Club had kids from all grades planting bulbs behind the school adding to the beautiful Daffodil border that started a couple years ago.

Working in collaboration with Greenwich Parks and Recreation Department, we were able to plant over 400 new plants.

Be sure to keep an eye out for lots of gorgeous flowers in the coming spring!

For more information, or to get involved, please contact Sharon Elkayam and Laura Luckenbach at riversideschoolwellness@gmail.com.