Orca School Garden
- 3528 S. Ferdinand
Seattle WA 98118 map - Website
- Contact: Kenya Fredie, Garden Coordinator
- (206) 252-6900
The Orca at Columbia School Children’s garden is found at an elementary school in the heart of Columbia City. In 1991 the Orca School PTA had a vision of creating a school garden as an extension of its classrooms. In 1993, that vision was made a reality when a 12,000 square-foot garden was created. Parents, children, neighborhood groups and volunteers from the community transformed a section of barren asphalt into a vibrant outdoor learning center.
“I want to be a worm in the garden. I would crawl around and eat the dirt anytime I want to.”
—Chico
The garden features mosaics, wind vanes, a sundial, a Giving Garden and an outdoor covered classroom. The heart of the garden is a greenhouse that extends the Northwest growing season, allowing the children to garden all winter.
Each of the school’s eleven classrooms has its own raised bed where the children can plan, plant, tend, and harvest their garden.
“I would be a pumpkin in the garden. They have seeds in them.”
—AJ
Garden class is held in the garden at least once a week. Lessons are taught based on garden themes and the rhythms of the seasons.
With the help of Nutrition Committee, the students grow lettuce for the salad bar in the cafeteria.
Washington State University Cooperative Extension also helps care for the garden and cultivates a Southeast Asian demonstration garden.
In 2006, The Orca Garden is proud to have received two awards:
- A 2006 Youth Garden Grant from the National Gardening Association -- for “a demonstrated commitment to actively and creatively engaging youth in the gardening process and to improving the community” says Michael Metallo, NGA President;
- A 2006 King County Earth Heroes in Schools award for the Native Plant Nursery and Species Garden.
The Orca Garden was featured in the Beacon Hill and South District Journal on April 26, 2006, and in the Seattle Times “Digs” section on June 10, 2006.
The Orca Garden will continue to grow and teach the Orca Elementary students together with the school, families, and community.
The Orca Garden Mission Statement expresses the program’s goals:
The Orca Garden Program is an outdoor classroom supporting the values of environmental responsibility, sustainability, and community. The program will develop a child’s environmental competency with hands-on reinforcement of established curriculum at grade-appropriate levels.
If you would like to volunteer, Orca Garden is always happy to engage volunteers to help with heavier labor, to help with the plant sale each May, or to do presentations on gardening, birds and other topics on the natural environment. The garden is also looking for a donation of a roto-tiller to till our larger ground plots.
Check the website for updates on curriculum, projects, awards, and photos.
