35 schools win wildflower garden grants

Thirty-five schools in 17 counties have been awarded 2020 Seedlings for Schools (SFS) grants. The grants, provided by the Florida Wildflower Foundation with funds from the State Wildflower specialty license plate, give pre-K to high school teachers wildflower plants, personal gardening guidance and online teaching resources. Teachers are expected to receive plants in September, when schools are expected to reopen in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

School gardens vary from wood “grow” boxes to small in-ground garden sites outside classrooms, beside school vegetable gardens, or in nearby school courtyards. They provide many students’ first planting experiences as well as opportunities to witness plant life cycles and insect interactions while learning about Florida ecology.

Innovation outdoors

Additionally, the Foundation’s Wild About Wildflowers! Activity Guide has helped teachers use the gardens to achieve Florida State Standards in language arts, math and science. SFS Grant Administrator Claudia Larsen also emphasized that gardens create opportunities for social interaction between students and are sometimes therapeutic outlets.