Launched initially by the decision to completely remove the stubborn invasive weed ‘English Ivy’ from the Bryant Elementary grounds, the project grew to create a site plan that celebrates the seasons of school with distinct garden areas:

• Fall Garden welcomes students back, framing each entrance to the playground with vibrant autumn color.

• Winter Garden surrounds the building’s east entrance, with hardy plants with bloom, fragrance, and color giving respite in the season’s grayest days.

• Spring Garden expands on the existing old Rhododendrons that decorate the formal front façade.

• Native Woodland species replace ivy outside the fenced playground, an active demonstration of native plant restoration practices.

• Hands-on Garden for classroom and after school activities, focusing on soil study and edible gardening, along with a weather station and compost tumbler.

Immediate and long-term plans include plant labels and a weatherproof field book, providing user-friendly ways to learn about the interesting and unusual plants. The horticultural practices and plant selection in our Bryant landscape focus on low maintenance and drought tolerance --- an approach that builds a long-term landscape that is environmentally smart and sustainable, considering the limited resources available for maintaining school grounds.