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School & Institution Programs
School and Institution Educational Programs
Master Gardeners conduct eductional programs which are not available to the general public at school and institutional facilities. However, the Thursdays in the Garden programs at the Demonstration Gardens at the Ben Franklin School are open to the public on Thursday mornings, as described below.
School classes are taught in the classroom setting, with a demonstration garden for illustration and hands-on experience for the students. Rehabilitation therapy is presented at rehabilitation centers and nursing homes.
This page has the following sections:
(click on program to jump to it)
- Benjamin Franklin School and Demonstration Gardens
- Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) Encore Program
- Horticulture Therapy
Benjamin Franklin School and Demonstration Gardens
(click on program to jump to it)
Benjamin Franklin School Horticulture Program
Master Gardeners teach horticulture classes to students of Benjamin Franklin School, an elementary school in the Cleveland Public Schools system. Hands-in-the-soil teaching includes growing crops in the school garden behind the school. In the autumn, in-coming students harvest and taste crops planted the previous spring. In the spring, the students plant crops for the following autumn. Click here to read students' thank you notes.
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Thursdays in the Garden
Master Gardeners work throughout the growing season on Thursday mornings at 10:00 in the demonstration gardens (Herb, Perennial and Vegetable) behind Ben Franklin School, weather permitting. The public is free to visit, observe the demonstrations gardens and ask the Master Gardeners questions. Park in front of the school and walk back to the garden area.
In the Gardens this Year:
Programs are offered to the public by the Master Gardeners on scheduled days at 10:00 in the demonstration gardens behind Ben Franklin School, 1905 Spring Rd., weather permitting. These programs are free. Park in front of the school and walk back to the garden area. You may want to bring a folding chair. All persons attending any of the Thursday OSU Extension Demonstrations at Ben Franklin are more than welcome to visit and ask questions of the Master Gardeners at any of the other demonstration gardens (Herb, Perennial and Vegetable). See pictures of an herb program below.
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Diagnostic Walk - tba - . Cuyahoga County Master Gardeners are hosting a diagnostic walk with Michael Loos, Ohio State University Extension Educator, Horticulture at the Ben Franklin Demonstration Garden. Be on hand to identify and discuss the gardening issues of the day.
In the HERB GARDEN this year:
Calendula is the 2008 Herb of the Year.
tba - Demonstration on herbs.
In the PERENNIAL GARDEN this year:
tba - Demonstration on perennials.
In the VEGETABLE GARDEN this year:
2008 is the International Year of the Potato. This year's demonstrations will include several potato varieties, including different colors, shapes and sizes. Programs will also discuss the replanting of our asparagus bed and a demonstration compost bin.
Demonstrations:
May 22, 2008, 10:00 a.m. - Planting potatoes, replanting the asparagus bed, starting the compost bin.
July 24, 2008, 10:00 a.m. - Maintenance of beds, pests, backfilling and fertilization will be discussed and demonstrated.
August 28, 2008, 10:00 a.m. - Digging potatoes and composting scrap will be demonstrated.
The Gardens
The Herb Garden
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Herb Garden
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mid-April |
early July
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early July
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early July
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The Perennial Garden
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Perennial Garden
Entrance |
mid-April |
early July
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early July |
early July
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mid-August
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mid-August
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mid-August
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mid-August |
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The Vegetable Garden
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Vegetable
Garden Sign |
mid-April |
mid-April |
mid-April |
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early July
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early July
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early July
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mid-August
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mid-August
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Cabbage
mid-August |
Butternut Squash
mid-August |
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Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) - Encore Program
Cuyahoga Community College's Encore Program is a lifelong learning program for individuals 55 and older. Students choose from a vast and diverse set of changing classes each session. Master Gardeners are responsible for presentation of the "Gardener's Gazette" courses, covering a variety of topics and answering questions, presently at the Tri-C Eastern and Corporate College West campuses.
Horticultural Therapy
Horticultural therapy is defined by the American Horticultural Therapy Association (AHTA) as “a discipline that uses plants, gardening activities and the natural world as vehicles for professionally conducted programs in therapy and rehabilitation.” Utilizing both indoor and outdoor goal-oriented activities, participants in a variety of settings can achieve cognitive, social, psychological and physical benefits. Cuyahoga County Master Gardeners currently operate four programs under the supervision of registered Horticultural Therapists, two of which by a Master Gardener who is a registered Horticultural Therapist.
Click on the following site to jump to that site:
- Cleveland Clinic Children's Rehabilitation Hospital
- Fairhill Intergenerational Resource Center
- A.M. McGregor Nursing Home
- MetroHealth Medical Center
Cleveland Clinic Children's Rehabilitation Hospital
Two Wednesday mornings, all year long, children in the rehabilitation and dialysis units connect with nature through seeding, propagating, planning, planting and maintaining gardens and pots with themes chosen by them. Growing is done on a light cart and in a therapeutic courtyard garden.
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Fairhill Intergenerational Resource Center
Every Tuesday beginning May 1st and continuing through fall harvest, this intergenerational gardening program brings neighborhood children and older adult volunteers together to learn from each other while planning, planting and maintaining an outdoor garden full of vegetables, herbs and flowers.
A.M. McGregor Nursing Home
Every Tuesday and Thursday, all year long, various residents particiapte in horticulture activities, including flower arranging, seeding, propagating, planting, greenhouse maintanenance, nature experiences, and a garden club. The Horticultural Therapy department of this facility operates a greenhouse and numerous grow light carts, and an annual plant sale.
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Pruning a |
Propagating |
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Creating cards |
MetroHealth Medical Center
This program takes place once per month in the Mickey McGraw Patient Activity Center within the hospital. Participants, who are inpatients in Metro’s Rehabilitation Unit, are able to complete an indoor project that they can take with them at the end of the session.
