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Kamloops  

Community garden at Arthur Hatton Elementary blooming

North Shore garden grows

Even though we're in a pandemic, the community garden at Arthur Hatton Elementary continues to grow.

The Chestnut Avenue location was the recipient of a $15,000 Nature's Path Gardens for Good grant in 2018. The Kamloops school, located along the North Thompson River, was the only Canadian applicant to be awarded one of three prizes.

The money has allowed school staff to quadruple the amount of growing space and to add in irrigation to each garden area.

"There is still some work to be done, as far as removing grass and finishing off the irrigation," says Grade 5/6 teacher Paul Denby in a news release. 

He notes most of the construction work took place last fall, before the first snowfall. 

Due to COVID-19, students have been limited in their involvement with the garden; however, the release says the kids were able to start all the plants in the garden from seed indoors at school right before spring break.

The seedlings were cared for at Denby's home, and are now thriving in the garden's new soil. The planters consist of peas, spinach, tomatoes, peppers, basil, dill, kale, lettuce, corn, cucumbers, pumpkins, watermelon, cantaloupe, squash and tomatillos.

"We still have room to put in carrots, beets and a few other things," Denby says, adding he'd like to have berries and grapes as well.

There will be an Aboriginal focus in the garden too. A pot or two of sweetgrass and other plants that are indigenous to the area are part of the plan. 

Denby says while student involvement has taken a hit, he's hopeful students will return soon and can have a hand in caring for the garden and beautifying the space.



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