Kids in Native Gardens
Kids in Native Gardens Grant Program
The Sacramento Valley Chapter runs the Kids in Native Gardens (KING) reimbursable grant program, which is designed to help children learn about and recognize some of their local native plants through hands-on experience in their school or community garden. As children get to know native plants in their garden, they also observe the insects, birds, and mammals that recognize these plants as home or food. Children will watch their native garden come alive with native bees, butterflies, and birds!
To date, twenty-eight elementary schools and twelve community gardens have taken advantage of our chapter’s grant program, investing almost $5,000 in our public landscapes. The following is from Reverend Peter Rodgers, garden coordinator at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Antelope.
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church’s community garden is a wonderful example of a KING recipient. For the past year, the kids of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church on Watt Avenue in Antelope (about ten in number) have been working on starting a California Native Plants garden. The kids have helped with all aspects of the garden, including design, plant choice, bed preparation, and planting. Some of the plants have come from the local native plant nursery while others have been started from seeds. Several adult members of the congregation have assisted with bed preparation, laying weed block and mulch, and watering.
We thank A Better Tree Service of Sacramento for the donation of mulch and Green Acres of Rocklin for donating weed block. We are hoping to expand the project and involve kids from the community to help and learn about native plants. The focus of the first phase of the project is on planting a butterfly garden. Thanks to Jennifer Hogan of the CNPS Sacramento Chapter for her advice and encouragement on this project.
How It Works
Make sure that your site is within the SacValley Chapter’s geographic area, which includes Sacramento, Yolo, Colusa, Sutter, Yuba, lower Placer, and northern San Joaquin Counties. Then submit the KING Application. Once your application is approved, the chapter will reimburse you $100 when you purchase California native plants.
These plants can be purchased at the SacValley Chapter plant sales, at another CNPS chapter plant sale, or at the various native plant nurseries in the Sacramento Valley area. You can explore the plants that our chapter grows by viewing our plant lists, including lists for theme gardens, and planting advice.
For questions about the program, please contact Jennifer Hogan, Sacramento Valley CNPS School Gardens Chair and KING Coordinator.