Learning + Landscape: Woodville Elementary School Wildflower Garden
Graduate Studio Project, 2009 Florida ASLA Winner - Philanthropic Category

With: Alicia Hicks, Austin Dill, Remington Ham, Patricia Asari Ita, and Keith McCarron (Dr. Matthew Powers, faculty)

The objective of this project was to design a learning garden for the students of a rural school just outside of Tallahassee, Florida. The design and construction of the space was funded through a grant from the Florida Wildflower Association. Throughout the site analysis, planning, and design processes, the design team worked with stakeholders from the school, including students and teachers. Challenges presented by the project included limited budget, immovable existing site features, and a busy adjacent roadway. The first phase of the design process produced five distinct design alternative for the site. With help from the stakeholders, the five designs were reviewed and revised to produce on one comprehensive site plan.

The finished design included amenities and interpretive elements that would introduce students to regional ecological concepts and issues, as well as sustainabily and resource conservation. All elements of the space were meant to be interactive to continue the participatory process that was employed earlier in the project. Garden elements included a vegetable garden, rain barrels and cistern, wildlife feeders and viewing blind, meditative labyrinth, water feature, weather monitoring kiosk, and themed play structures that evoked the history and ecology of the Woodville area.