Tentative plans for expansion of native plant gardens

The lawn just to the right of the main entrance to Thoreau School is in bad shape. 

It's about 20% bare soil, with many weeds plus several immense ant hills. It's unsightly, plus a source of unhealthy dust. It's been this way for at least 10 years.  

The lawn is unlikely to improve due to multiple stresses:

• Foot traffic
• Dry summer conditions, no watering
• Nearly 100 % shade all day during summer

Two proposed remedies

We will use plants that actually thrive in shade to replace the grass.  Two groupings of plants, divided by a diagonal walkway, are planned.

Expansion A, closer to the sidewalk and path leading to the school entrance. Coordinating: David Thompson, 608-692-5467. DavidThompson20@aol.com.

• Sprengel's sedge, Carex sprengelii.  This is an attractive, grass-like plant that grows in distinct clumps about 18" high.  It has attractive seed heads that provide food for native animals, especially birds migrating in the fall.  Plants will be sourced from the lawn (where it has self-seeded) and the other two rain gardens.
• Wild ginger, a ground-hugging plant, very green, which shades out almost all weeds. Together, this and the sedge should create a low-maintenance alternative to the existing lawn.
• We'll add additional native plants that bloom in the spring here and there, such as Dutchman's breeches, woodland phlox, Virginia bluebell, Jacob's ladder, Virginia bluebell, bloodroot, trillium grandiflorum, prairie trillium, woodland poppy, toothwort, foamflower, and jack-in-the-pulpit.

Expansion B, closer to the asphalt walkway next to the school.  Coordinating: Sarah Pabian and Steph Judge.

• A variety of shade-tolerant native plants will be added.  Children will participate in the planting.

Foot traffic concerns

The sedge can tolerate occasional footfalls, but the other plants in both A and B areas cannot, because traffic injures the plants and compacts the soil.  I have watched traffic when children are picked up in the afternoon--the area does not have high traffic, but there is some short-cutting on the diagonal from the sidewalk to the school entrance.  We need to create a diagonal pathway with a border (bricks?) or rope, plus "no step" signs.

Signage

Each garden needs a small sign (with QR code) explaining its significance and who is responsible for it.

Maintenance

The two garden expansions will not require mowing.  Initially, the plants need watering every week.  Watering will be required during summer if a drought occurs.  Dead sticks and branches need periodic removal.  In March, excess leaves and dried stalks need to be removed.  A small amount of weeding is needed, especially at the start.

 

Thoreau's Gardens Help Improve Student Performance

Studies suggest a positive correlation between green spaces and improved student academic performance, particularly in public schools and urban areas, according to a systematic review by the Children & Nature Network. Research indicates that students attending schools with more greenness tend to have higher test scores in math and reading. Some studies also suggest a link between green space and reduced cognitive impairment, which could be attributed to the reduction of noise and air pollution associated with green areas. However, the exact mechanisms and the magnitude of these effects are still being investigated. 

Several studies have explored the relationship between green spaces and student academic performance. For example, a study by the Children & Nature Network examined multiple studies and found a positive correlation between greenness around schools and academic performance, particularly in public schools. A study in Santiago, Chile linked standardized test records of over 281,000 students in 1,498 schools with satellite data on surrounding vegetation, confirming that students at greener schools performed better in math and reading.

The above summary by AI (6/3/25).

Here are some specific studies:

Link to a National Academy of Sciences study: "Our study showed a beneficial association between exposure to green space and cognitive development among schoolchildren that was partly mediated by reduction in exposure to air pollution."

Link to a systematic literature review: This review found a weak but positive link between greenspace and academic achievement.  There's a need for further research on this topic.

A blog devoted to this topic.