Fifth-grade teacher's garden plans take root
A formerly bare spot of ground behind Hillsboro Elementary School will one day be a beautiful butterfly garden — if fifth-grade teacher Sherry Fields has her way.
The garden, unofficially named "Butterfly Fields," is the brainchild of Fields. It's something she's thought about for more than two years, but she's finally put it into action this week.
The tulips that were planted on Monday as part of Red Ribbon Week are the first step.
"Finally it's coming about," Fields said.
The seed money for the project is $500 in award money that Fields received two years ago, when she won the Wal-Mart "Teacher of the Year" award in May of 2000.
She's been "kicking around" the garden idea since then, Fields said.
After the tulips are planted, Fields' next step is to plant four trees — oaks and redbuds — from a tree farm in Lindsborg. The farm gives free trees to be used in public places, such as schools or parks.
Once the trees are done, bushes or shrubs will be next. Because these hardy plants will be put in the ground in the fall, they'll have all winter to develop a good root system, Fields said.
Next spring, Fields hopes that the garden will get a bevy of colorful flowers.
The plans for the garden were designed by Sharon Boese of The Garden Center. Ultimately, Fields wants the garden to be a place where students can walk along paths or sit on benches.
And it will be an outdoor classroom for Fields' science students, too — they'll be involved in every aspect, whether that means watching others plant the trees or planting flowers next spring or helping with the weeding.
