Helena Doud

CAROLINE ELEMENTARY

LSA 422

Fall 2014

Slaterville Springs,NY

NARRATIVE:
GOALS:

Caroline Elementary School is located on Highway 79, which is one of the busiest highways that runs
through Ithaca. The school has approximately 300 students and consists of grades Pre-K through 5th
grade. As a part of their curriculum, students learn about food production, wildlife, and culture/geography.
Creating a landscape design program that revolves around food production allows for further education
on where food comes from, different cultures, and the geographical locations of where these foods are
most popularly used. Different spaces include a South facing Courtyard for educational learning, an
outdoor eating area with a wire pergola to allow growing of vines, an apple orchard, and several raised
planters and berms for edible foods and space sepertion. A new plaza area is proposed for the entrance
of the school. Adding River Birch trees will help to soften the facade of the school and two different
hardscapes patterns to point pedestrians to the main entrance of the school.

Caroline Elementary is a 19 acre site with many opportunities. The staff that works at Caroline, works
together to make sure they are continually working towards excellence in all areas of the childrens growth.
Even though each grade level is learning and using the outdoors in a different way, the relationship
between learning in and out of the classroom is very important.

vegetable and fruit production. However, not all plants can go straight into the ground; for the ones that
cant, there are greenhouses to start those plants in a controlled environment. As a way to continue the
idea of food and crop growing, an outdoor eating area is provided on the west side of the school with a
wire pergola to grow grapes or any other type of vine crop.

Many of the grades use different vegetables and fruit as a part of their learning. However, to obtain
the necessary vegetables and fruit for learning, the school is must purchase these necessities from
outside sources. This design allows the staff and students to be able to provide their own crops for their
education. When first approaching the school from Highway 79 the students will be able to enter the
building through a small courtyard with River Birch trees to create shade and provide interests through
out the four seasons. On the South side of the school in the courtyard area there are raised planters for

Berms have been created to give the sense of separation between learning and playing. The vegetation
that has been selected for the berms are different perennials that will provide interest through all four
seasons. With the highest vegetation planted in the middle berms, this creates a sense of a wall and
separation.

The South facing courtyard is designed to be a learning area. Students will be able to grow vegetables
and fruit from seeds or transplant larger plants. Some vegetables can will not be able to take off and
survive if they go right into the ground as a seed. The greenhouses on site will allow for students
to be able to start plants from seeds and then transplant them into the raised planters in their
courtyard. The different size planters can either be used for fruits and vegetables depending on the
overall size the crop will reach or for transplanting the plants as they continue to grow. Growing
vegetables will allow the students to use what they grow in the classroom and potential be able to
have their own farmers market to attract the surrounding community. Also, with planting vegetables,
there will be need to be a crop rotation. Learning about crop rotation can add to the curriculum and
get the students to understand what people do who grow the food they eat everyday.

Gymnasium

Cafeteria

To give separation between learning and playing, berms have been designed to give this separation.
Different plant combinations have been created to get a sense of high and low. The middle berm
has the tallest plants on it to create a sense of a wall. The vegetation that has been selected allows
there to be some kind of interest for all four seasons.

Environmental Economic

-Consider Stormwater Management -Provide Infrastructure

-4 Season Use -Attract Investment

Community

-Summer Soccer League

-Farmers Market

Caroline Elementary School is used in the Summer for a soccer league. Adding new plantings and
pathways through out the site, will help direct people who are attending the school in the summer to
easily find their way to the fields and will also have several different types of plantings to observe and
even continue into the nature trail.

CROP

School Sign

Raised Planters for Vegetables

Highway 79
Courtyard

PRINCIPLES:

Babys Breath
River Birch

Classroom Gathering Area

Flag Pole

Basil

April 1 July 31

Beans,
Snap

March 15 July 31

Beets

March 1 April 15

European Hornbeam

WORKSHOP ANALYSIS

Entry Plaza
A1

Gymnasium

Birding/Habitat

Aniaml Tracking/Family Culture

Apple Orchard
Pre K

4th
Trout/Riparian Zone

85 - 100

Depth 1 in
Space 24 in
band
Depth .25in
Space 2 in

Vit. A, C,
Folate

Direct Seed

85 - 95

Cauliower

February 15 - August 1 April 15 September 30

Transplant

5-7

55 - 65

Depth .5in
Space 18in

Vit. C,
Folate

Transplant

10 - 12

80 - 100

Depth .125in
Space 6-8in

Vit. A, C

Transplant

7- 7

60 - 100

Depth .5in
Space 18in

Vit. A, C, Folate,
Ca, Fiber

March 1 March 31

Teeter Toter

Bird Watching

Rock Climbing

June 15 August 15

February 15 July1 June 30

September15

Collards

Vit. A, C

Cucumber

April 15 June30

July 1 August 15

Transplant

3- 4

50 - 65

Depth 1in
Space 10in

Dill

March 1 March 31

June 15 August 15

Direct Seed/
Transplant

5-6

leaf 40-55
seed 85-105

Depth .25in
Space 2-4in

Vit. Ca, Mg, Fe

Eggplant

April 15 June 15

August 1 August 15

Transplant

6- 8

80 - 85

Depth .5in
Space 24in

Fiber

Garlic

Sugar Maple

Septmber 15 Plant Clove

November 15

February 15 - August 1 Transplant

June 30
September 15

Vit. C

180 - 210

Depth 1.25in
Space 4in

Vit. C, B, Mg,
Selenium

5-7

40- 50

Depth .5in
Space 6in

Vit. A, C, K,
Ca, Mg

4-5

leaf 40-50
head 70-85

Depth .25in
Space 6-10in

Vit. A, C, K
Folate

Lettuce

Direct Seed/
February 1 - August 1 April 30 September 30 Transplant

Onions

February 1 - August 15 March 15 September 15

Transplant
Sets

10 - 12

60 - 80

Depth 2in
Space 4in

Vit. C, Fiber

Parsley

Februart 15 - August 1 April 15 September 30

Transplant

6-8

75 - 80

Depth .25in
Space 9-12in

Vit. A, C, K

Peas,
Garden

February 1 - August 1 Direct Seed

April 15 September 30

65 - 70

Depth 1in
Space 1in

Vit. A, C, Folate
Fiber

April 15 June 15
April 15 July 15

75 - 80

Depth .5in
Space 15in

3-4

115 - 120

Depth .125in
Space 6-8in

Direct Seed

50 - 60

August 1 August 15

Transplant

Direct Seed/
Transplant

February 15 - August 1 June 30

September 30

6-8

Vit. A, C
Vit. A, C

Depth .5in Vit. A, C, K, Fe,

Space 6in band Mg, Folate
Fiber
Depth 1.5in
Vit. C, Z, Mg
Space 24in

Squash,
Summer

April 15 June 30

July 1 August 15

Direct Seed/
Transplant

3-4

50 - 60

Squash,
Winter

April 15 August 15

Direct Seed/
Transplant

3-4

70 - 95

Depth 1in
Space 36in

Vit. A

Tomatoes

April 15 July 31

August 1 August 15

Transplant

5-7

75 - 85

Depth .5in
Space 18in

Vit. A, C, K

Watermelons

April 15 June 30

Direct Seed/
Transplant

3-4

90 - 100

Depth 1.5in
Space 60in

Vit. A, C

Above: The Courtyard on the South side of Caroline Elementary. This area is designed to be a learning area where both students and
teachers will be able to grow fruits and vegetables from seeds or small plants.
Below: The west side of the building has been designed to be an outdoor eating area for the students. Wires have been hung from the
building for the option of growing other fruits or vegetables that are vines.

July 1 July 15

February 15 - June 15 March 31 September 15

Pepers

Existing Soccer Fields

Folate

Kale

Obsticle Course

Depth .5in
Space 2in

Direct Seed

April 15 May 15

Spinach

Tree House

55 - 60

Vit. C, K,
Fiber

Pumpkins

Green wall

5-6

Depth .5in
Space 12in

Tree Houses

Maze

Direct Seed

Carrots

Moon/Deciding Theme

VEGETATION: Documenting and observing the exsiting

vegetation on site allows for more understanding of what kind of
plant palettes can survuve these site conditons. It also shows
what plants on the site thrive the most and what species can
appear on site, planted or spread from another area.

August 1 September 15

Vit. C, B, Folate,
Fiber, Mg, K

70 - 80

Existing Playground

5th

Depth 1in
Space 3in

Greenhouses and Sheds

B1

50 - 55

Transplant

Pre K

August 1 Direct Seed

September 1

Vit. A, C, K, Fe,
Ca, Mg, K

February 15 - August 1 April 15 September 15

Classroom Gathering Area

Birding/Geography

Depth .25in
Space 8in

Cabbage

Raised Planters

3rd

30 - 80

Vit. C, K,
Folate, Fiber

Library

Music

5-7

Direct Seed/
Transplant

Vit. A, C,
Folate

Depth .5in
Space 18in

Art

Water/Rocks

Depth 6in
Space 18in

70 - 80

Existing Playground

60 ft

Board Walk Through Bio-Rentention

Cafeteria

2nd

30 ft

2 years

NUTRIENT
INFO

5-7

Celery

0 ft

(weeks before
transplanting
to the garden)

PLANTING
DEPTH
AND
SPACE

Transplant

Experimental Gardens

Gymnasium

1st

White Evening Primrose

DAYS TO
HARVEST

February 15 - August 1 April 15 September 15

Lambs Ears

Parent Parking

Eating Area with Vine Pergola

PLANT
INDOORS

Broccoli

Cantaloupe

Sweet William

Cafeteria

SITE ANALYSIS

Columbine
Blanket Flower

Bus Loop

Bioswale

Oak Leaf Hydrangea

PLANTING
METHOD

January 1- November 15- Plant Crowns

March 31 December 31

Asparagus

Staff Parking

-Create an outdoor eating area

-Provide learning and growing gardens
-Incorporate the curriculum of ever grade level
-Allow for flexibility to accommodate changes in course work and program growing
-Introduce a diversity of program use to fulfill multiple needs of the school
-Create different spaces (Outdoor Classrooms, Experimental Gardens, Play Spaces)
-Consider community involvement

VISUAL
SPRING
FALL
DESCRIPTION PLANTING PLANTING
DATE
DATE

http://www.growforit.org/images/uploads/publications/Veggie-guide-east.pdf

Pond
Crop Rotation

Habitat

CLIMATE AND WIND:

There is a wide variety of climates in the
space, varying from cool and dry to warm and humid. Looking at
the different microclimates and wind patterns will allow for plant
selection that will be able to tolerate those conditions.

Trampoline

Garden

Rotation of crops is important for a successful garden. Rotation also helps to prevent
crop-specic pests and diseases from building up and carrying over from one season to the
next in the soil. In additon to stoping the spread of pests and diseases, the soil structure is
maintained and it avoids nutrient depletion in the soil.

Bird Feeders

Beans
Peas
Lima Beans
Potatoes

Existing Nature Trail

LEGUME

Lettuce
Greens
Herbs
Spinach
Corn
Cabbages

Onions
Garlic
Turnips
Beets
Carrots
Radishes

ROOT

Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Pepers

LEAF

FRUIT

Eggplant
Squash
Melons

SOIL:
Understanding the soil on the site can give a better
idea of what may have happened on the site before the school
was built. It also gives the conditions in which vegetation will
need to be able to tolerate in order to survive on the site.
BOTANICAL
NAME

PRECEDENTS
THE BROOKLYN SHOWCASE SCHOOL|CHANGING THE WAY CHILDREN EAT... FOR LIFE

ARTHUR ASHE CHARTER EDIBLE SCHOOLYARD

P.S. 216 Arturo Toscanini School in Brooklyn transfromed a cement parking

lot onto a half-acre organic garden. Students are taught how to harvest
over 60 types of fruits, grains, and vegetables. This school is a Title 1
school, the school gets funded for children who have difficulty reading,
writing, and mathamatics, and has a diverse student body. There is no
community supported agriculture programs, two public gardens, and have
the third lowest percentage of open green space in Brooklyn. Every class
participates in two hand-on organic gardening classes and one kitchen class
per month that reinforces the academic curriculum. Since the garden has
been established, there has been a breakthrough not in their academic
performance as well as in their edible education. P.S. 216 has become a
go-to professional resource for teachers and principles from other parts of
the city.

Betula nigra

River Birch

Carpinus betulus
Fastigiata

European
Hornbeam

Acer saccharum
Green Mountain

The benefits of having

Edible Schoolyard NYC
at our school are many.
It is clear children are
already learning how the
Earth nourishes both our
bodies and minds.
Celia
Kaplinsky,
Principal

Six Mile Creek

The Arthur Ashe Charter school in New Orleans is adding a teaching

kitchen and garden classroom to the science-based curriculum.The area is
one acre that incorperates both teaching and production gardens, including
an outdoor classroom and greenhouse. The garden is located right outside
the carfateria which has a wall full of windows allowing the students to be
able to look out and enjoy the garden even thought they are inside. While
eating, the students will be looking at native and exotic shade plants
showing off the schools kitchen herb and flower garden. The garden has
created a habitat for butterflies, birds, and dragonflies. The garden also has
a rain garden and pond placed at the low point of the landscape.

Scale: 1 = 10

A1

Staff Parking Lot

BioSwale with European Hornbeam and a variety of perennials

B1

Source: http://esynyc.org/explore/brooklyn-showcase-school/

Scale: 1 = 2
Open Lawn Area For Recreation

Berm with Taller Shrubs

Berm with Short

Shrubs

Existing Playground

FALL COLOR

FLOWER

ATTRIBUTES

Yellow

Bloom Time: April - May

Bloom Description:
Brown (male)
Green (female)

Tolerate: Deer, Drought,

Clay Soil, Wet Soil,
Air Pollution

Yellow/Gold

Bloom Time: March

Bloom Description:
Yellow (male)
Green (female)

Yellow/Orange

NA

Tolerate: Drought,
Wet Soil, Shade

Bloom Time: April

Bloom Description:
White/Pink

Tolerate: Air Pollution

Attracts: Butteries, Birds,
Hummingbirds

Apple Trees

Red/Burgundy

Spiraea
thunbergii

Babys Breath

NA

Aquilegia Winky
Blue and White

Columbine

Hydrangea
quercifolia
Ruby Slippers

Oak Leaf
Hydrangea

Blanket Flower

Tolerate: Deer
Attracts: Butteries

NA

Tolerate: Deer,
Rabbit

Red/Brown

Bloom Time: June-Frost

Bloom Description:
White maturing
to ruby red

Fall/Winter
Interest

Red/Green

Bloom Time: May-October

Bloom Description: Yellow
rays with brownish-purple
center cone

Tolerate: Drought
Attracts: Butteries

Bloom Time: May-July

Bloom Description:
Purplish pink

Tolerate: Rabbit, Deer,

Drought, Dry Soil,
Shallow-Rocky Soil,
Black Walnut, Air Pollution

NA

Bloom Time: May-June

Bloom Description:
Reddish-black

Tolerate: Deer

NA

Bloom Time: May-July

Bloom Description:
White maturing to
rosy pink

Tolerate: Drought

Lambs Ears

Green

Dianthus barbatus
Heart Attack

Sweet William

White Evening
Primrose

Bloom Time: April

Bloom Description:
White

Tolerate: Rabbit,
Deer, Air Pollution

Bloom Time: April-May

Bloom Description:
Blue/white,
purple/white, red/white

Stachys byzantina
Primrose Heron

Oenothera speciosa

Source: http://esynyc.org/explore/brooklyn-showcase-school/

Green Mountain
Sugar Maple

VISUAL
DESCRIPTION

Malus
domestica

Gaillardia
aestivalis

Open Lawn to Orchard

COMMON NAME