Get Ready for Mar Vista's Green Garden Showcase Tour
Four school gardens will be among those featured during Mar Vista's 3rd Annual Green Garden Showcase on April 30. Patch has this sneak peek of three of them.
The gardens at Venice High School, Mark Twain Middle School and Walgrove Elementary are just three of the 80 gardens that will be featured during Mar Vista's 3rd Annual Green Garden Showcase on April 30 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Windward School's garden will also be on the tour.
The showcase is a unique learning experience that is free to the public and participants can enjoy the day by choosing from six separate tours (including one special tour you can take by bike) hosted by the Mar Vista Community Council's Green Committee.
Patch spoke with Master Gardener Marianne Brown who works at all three public schools, horticulturalist Diane Pollock who teaches at Venice High and Principal Rex Patton at Mark Twain Middle School, about the importance of their schools' gardens.
We also caught up with our regular Patch columnist and Mar Vista Green Committee Vice Chair Jeanne Kuntz, who is one of the driving forces behind the tour together with Mar Vista Green Committee Chair Sherri Akers.
Along with people opening up their homes to showcase their sustainable gardens, there will also be guest presenters on the tour from a slew of eco-friendly organizations including Surfrider, TreePeople and Native Green LLC.
To learn more about the showcase and choose which tour you'd like to take on April 30, visit The Mar Vista Green Garden Showcase Blog and be sure to read Jeanne Kuntz's Mar Vista Verde column this Friday, April 15, right here on Mar Vista Patch.
In This article
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Venice High School
13000 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA -
Mark Twain Middle School
2224 Walgrove Ave, Los Angeles, CA -
Walgrove Avenue Elementary School
1630 Walgrove Ave, Los Angeles, CA -
Windward School
11350 Palms Blvd, Los Angeles, CA
Sherri Akers
6:09 am on Thursday, April 14, 2011
It is so exciting to think about how many school gardens this may inspire as parents and educators from all over Los Angeles see what these three schools have accomplished!
Babak
10:14 am on Thursday, April 14, 2011
Yes, it's wonderful. I know as co-chair of MVCC Education Committee we have approved thousands of dollars for bringing gardening and kids together at several Mar Vista schools.
I am puzzled and deeply disappointed that Patch ignored our repeated written requests in the last 2 months for some minimal coverage of MVCC's unique and unprecedented Education Summit, a tremendous labor of love from dozens of parents, schools, principals and students, featuring 23 schools under one roof, key education leaders, a distinguished panel and several city representatives including Bill Rosendahl and 36th District Congressional candidates. This event happens only once a year and may never be quite same scope.
Thankfully the Argonaut has always been a great supporter and reporter of such vital community events. And thanks Sherri for being such a supporter.
Jeanne Kuntz
5:03 pm on Thursday, April 14, 2011
So sad, Babak, but so true. Educators, especially of young children, have historically been dismissed as overpaid babysitters. The truth is, were we to address the horrific state of public education at the elementary level, many of our societal ills would diminish. Your efforts are greatly appreciated.
Sherri Akers
6:44 am on Friday, April 15, 2011
Babak - it was an awesome event last night - congratulations! There was literally not an empty seat and every inch of wall space was taken as standing room only. It was really exciting to see so many parents involved and concerned about our schools. You guys did an AWESOME job!
We need to get the message to the parents with kids who are not yet school age and I hope the garden tour is a tool to accomplish that.
Kelly - thank you for the great piece on the tour and helping us get the word out!
Samantha Lyon
2:42 pm on Saturday, April 16, 2011
Great piece! Check out the video of the Windward Garden, fourth school garden on the tour, which started just this last fall.
www.vimeo.com/windwardschool/garden
Excited about the Showcase coming up! Excellent job Mar Vista!!