» Our Garden

The beauty of the truly unexpected…

admin — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 19:00:07 +0000

After a long holiday weekend with snow, the students that participate in the Adaptive Gardens programs where very eager to get back to work!
Our greenhouse was finished and the tables were built! The only thing left to do was start filling them with seed trays! As we began working with one of our groups this week, it was hard not to see the similarities in the beautiful unexpected weather we had just had and the classes we hold. The Horticultural Therapy Program created for Adaptive Gardens of the Low country was designed to offer horticultural skills while accommodating a variety of disabilities and learning styles. So, we work with a wide range of students.

Greenhouse - just after weathering the snowfall

Some of our students are considered to be severely or profoundly disabled and often have multiple physical and cognitive special needs, others are behaviorally and emotionally challenged and are learning social skills and behavioral control with the help of their aids and teachers. With each of these groups there are unexpected beautiful moments, like a student who last week had to be taken on a “self checking walk about” after an angry rant, and this week gently fluffed baby lettuce sprouts while watering in the greenhouse. These moments just shine through brightly, like white snow on the newly built greenhouse on a McClellanville farm!

Watering in the greenhouse

We would love for you to come visit us! If you want to come tour or volunteer email me at: catherine@adaptivegardens.org. Leslie and I cant wait to see you in the gardens!

Catherine McGuinn

Horticultural Therapist and Program Director of Adaptive Gardens of the Low country

Our Greenhouse is Up!!

admin — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 16:03:16 +0000

It’s happened! The long anticipated Adaptive Gardens of the Lowcountry greenhouse, has been constructed. It looks great, is solid as a rock, and will serve as a key asset for our gardening program for many years to come.
There are a lot of people who played key roles in bringing this project to fruition. Of particular note, are the AGL students, who did great work on the construction of the greenhouse! Every class got to play some part in the construction and assembly of our new greenhouse!

Building the Greenhouse

Also, Lee Leland, the Adaptive Gardens of the Lowcountry’s indispensable “Jack of all Trades” was a huge help! He designed; he built; he even coordinated the efforts of the kids! Thanks Lee!
We cant wait to fill up the greenhouse with plant starts for our spring and summer gardens.

Come on out to Thornhill Farm and check it out! While you’re here be sure to drop by the Our Local Foods Farm Store and pick up some of our bags of mixed lettuces grown in the Adaptive Garden’s field and harvest by our classes. Also, be sure to grab some of the the seed paper the Adaptive Gardens class made! We have spring lettuce mixes and wildflowers that will do great in your early gardens!

Leslie and I cant wait to see you in the gardens. If you would like to help out with our activities, please contact us to discuss opportunities – we can always use a hand.

Catherine McGuinn

Horticultural Therapist and Program Director of Adaptive Gardens of the Low country

If you don’t like the weather, just wait a minute…

admin — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 02:18:19 +0000

That’s what they say down here along the coast, and unfortunately it goes both ways. Just after the long cold spell with13 days when temperatures dipped below freezing(!!!), we had a brief period of warm and clear weather. Then… just as we were ready to start on our greenhouse. construction was held up again, thanks to mother nature… Now, we do love the rain, but not on the day we wanted to build our greenhouse!

Preparing to Plant

Our very patient volunteer Mr. Bill Brandson, is hangin’ in there with us and we feel sure the sun will be shining down on him and our Adaptive Gardens class from Georgetown HS on Monday as we put together our much anticipated greenhouse. But, in the meantime, come on out to the Our Local Foods Farm Store and pick up one of the overflowing bags of mixed lettuces our Adaptive Gardens class from Wando HS harvested on Wednesday or better yet, the seed paper the Adaptive Gardens class from Lincoln HS made on Tuesday!

Harvesting Lettuce

Leslie and I cant wait to see you in the gardens!

Catherine McGuinn

Horticultural Therapist and Program Director of Adaptive Gardens of the Low country

It’s cold out there!

admin — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 19:24:02 +0000

The students of Adaptive Gardens of the Lowcountry have been bundling up and braving the cold! We have been weeding and gathering our winter harvest; lettuce, collards and kale, all for sale in the Our Local Foods Farm Store. The cold weather did keep us inside some, where we have perfected our Seed Paper! We have made lots of spring lettuce Seed Paper and had lots of fun doing it! Please come by the Farm Store and check it out! The seed paper is easy to use and will make starting all those tiny seeds a cinch!

Harvesting greens in the Adaptive Garden

Making seed paper

See you in the gardens!

Catherine McGuinn

Program Director of Adaptive Gardens of the Low country

See you on Sunday, November 8th

admin — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 04:01:16 +0000

The Activity Center at Adaptive Gardens of the Lowcountry has been a busy place these last few weeks! We have been perfecting our Germination Paper and our soaps have been flying off the shelfs at the “Our Local Foods” Country Store. We have been harvesting our garden and sowing seeds that can over winter in the ground. Our Gourdous surprises are almost complete and wont last long! They alone are worth the trip to the “Our Local Foods” Country Store outside McClellanville on Hwy 17 N.

there's a buzzing sound in the activity center

But, the best part of all this activity is that we are in the final preparations for “Local Music on the Farm”, this Sunday afternoon! We have some great local bands coming out to our farm stage and some magnificent food being prepared! Friends and food, oysters and BBQ, music and hayrides; it doesn’t get any better than this!

Good food, good music, good times and all for a good cause! See you this Sunday, November 8th!!!

Look for the gift baskets of AGL products in the silent auction!

- Catherine

working in the garden

admin — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 22:05:02 +0000

Area high school students come to work in the adaptive garden, typically working in the garden 1 or 2 days per week. Adaptive Gardens currently works with 3 high schools in the Charleston, SC area: Wando High School, Georgetown High School, and Lincoln High School. If your school is interested, please contact us.