From then...

In 2018, a small group of parents met with former STEM teacher, Ms. Culpeper to discuss ways to better utilize the interior courtyard space at the school, accessible from the library and a few other select hallways at the school.  The space is the size of approximately two small soccer fields and was completely overgrown and unused at that time.  Ms. Culpeper shared that despite having plans drawn up for how to renovate the space for use as a community garden several years ago, the plans never quite came to fruition.  But that was about to change. 

Over that 2019 summer, a small group of parents & staff continued to meet with regularity to revitalize plans for the space and discuss ways to bring in potential grants and other funding sources to sustain the project.  Eventually a design was selected that included planting a small herb and butterfly garden for kids to study, building several above ground planting beds to grow vegetables, building a small awning/shade area for students to gather and giving those old benches a fresh coat of paint.  Now we just needed parents and others to make it happen and make it happen they did! 

On a late October Saturday in 2019, the PTA sponsored a Courtyard Clean up Day and over fifty parents, students and staff members showed up to dig, weed, plant, paint, construct and create a whole new space for Timber Lane.  In that one day, four benches were sandblasted and given a fresh coat of blue & yellow paint, the herb and butterfly garden was cleared out, tilled and planted, four above ground new planters were constructed and two more existing beds were cleared and prepped for planting and one fantastic new wooden awning was constructed to give Ms. Culpeper a place to seek shade on hot days when out in the gardens with students. It was a magical day and the courtyard finally appeared to be taking shape and could be seen again as a valuable new educational space. 

...until now!

In the 2020-2021 school year, Debo Burke and Lori Krishnan, with the assistance of several of the school's families, teachers, and Girl Scout Troop 50091 maintained the pollinator beds, and expanded to create the Giving Garden.  They volunteered their efforts planting, weeding, watering and harvesting. The garden produced 327 pounds of vegetables, and a few melons. All of that produce went to food pantries including Food for Others and the AUMC Mission in Annandale.  This year's garden was started by all of the 1st grade class and Troop 50091. It has already produced veggies for the 1st graders to sample, and an additional 9 lbs of produce for donation. The addition of 3 new vegetable beds will expand the ability of students to explore the basics of botany, the role of science and math in agriculture, and how the foods they eat are tied to history and geography.  

In winter 2021-2022 Timber Lane was offered a grant from FCFT and with the help of a consultant and retired outdoor educator, Karen Taylor, we devised a plan to pick up where the previous team had been working and continue refurbishing the courtyard. We created 4 designated areas for “whole group education,” “discovery walk,” “small group gatherings,” and “gardening.”  We added additional trees and shrubs to attract wildlife and add more shade. We also added a gardening area adjacent to our playground, with 3 raised beds and all the necessary tools. We had two weekend work days to install newly purchased items with the help of staff and families. At primary literacy night in May, families “made their mark” on the courtyard by painting beautiful rocks that will edge our new garden beds. Slowly, we have been introducing people to all the new areas and the students are excited about the changes they see happening. In the 2022-23 year we have plans to have a student-led Green Team who will assist our master parent gardener, Lori Krishnan, in her work in the gardens, as well as possibly adding in elements like composting our cafeteria plant matter.  We also plan to work to get all the classes out into the space at various times of the year learning, working, harvesting and enjoying as part of their science instruction!