A New Kind of School Garden Program: Is This What Teachers Need Next?

For years, I’ve supported elementary and middle school teachers with step-by-step guidance for bringing gardens into their classrooms. I’ve offered done-for-you lesson plans, curated seeds lists, planting calendars, and a full scope of curriculum-connected activities. It’s what my Oasis program series is known for: making school gardening easy by removing every possible barrier for teachers.

But today, I want to share a new idea, one that came to me first thing in the morning one day, and one I can’t stop thinking about.

It’s different. It’s a bit risky.
And it’s something I’ve never done before. Not in this format anyway!

So I’m bringing this idea to you early, not as a finished product, but as a conversation starter.

Because I need your feedback. And more importantly…
this course could be the missing piece that finally empowers more teachers, at all grade levels, to build meaningful garden programs without relying on pre-made content.

The Moment the Idea Took Root

If you’ve followed my story, you already know that my journey into school gardening didn’t begin in a classroom. It began at home, on maternity leave, while discovering the incredible design system of Permaculture.

I realized that growing food didn’t have to be hard.
And that it absolutely should be taught in schools.

At the time, my older daughter was already in elementary school, and I couldn’t believe she wasn’t learning this basic life skill. That realization sparked the path I’ve followed for well over a decade, teaching gardening to students and teachers, first informally, then professionally, eventually launching programs like Oasis Classroom and Oasis School to help educators across Canada and beyond.

But from the very beginning, my work has focused on elementary and middle school teachers.

Why?

• Because those classrooms often have one lead teacher for multiple subjects.

• That teacher can connect garden learning across science, math, language, and social studies.

• And most importantly: the same group of students is together for the whole year, making hands-on projects like gardening more consistent and manageable.

It made sense. It worked beautifully.
And I stayed there, developing deep expertise in this space.

So… Why Change Now?

Here’s where the story takes a turn.

My younger daughter started high school last year. And for the first time, I got a glimpse into how a high school teacher might try to grow a garden in their class, without support. None of my older daughter's teachers tried this ever!

Her science teacher took on a noble and ambitious project: growing food seedlings with students.

But she ran into the same challenges I’ve seen over and over again:

• Choosing the wrong time of year to start (Fall semester instead of Spring)

• Lack of planning for maintenance

• No integration with deeper curriculum goals

• Minimal student engagement because the setup and outcomes weren’t clear

It was heartbreaking to witness, especially knowing it could’ve gone so differently with just a few simple shifts.

That’s when it hit me:

What if high school teachers didn’t need a separate credit course or a huge grant to grow a school garden?
What if they just needed a method, and the confidence to implement it? That's something I have! I might not have done-for-you material for high school like I have for elementary and middle school. But I have the knowledge, experience, strategy, techniques, and all that, to grow school gardens.

The Idea: A Class That Teaches My Whole School Garden Method

That’s what sparked this new vision:

🎓 A course for teachers who want to build their own school garden programs, from scratch, with support, clarity, and a proven framework. And most importantly, while avoiding common mistakes. 

This won’t be another done-for-you product.
This is a full-on training experience that teaches the same system I’ve used for years to help teachers:

• Launch gardens that are tied directly to curriculum outcomes

• Design learning experiences that are hands-on, engaging, and low-maintenance

• Avoid the most common pitfalls (wrong timing, unclear goals, burnout)

• Plan for success without needing summer maintenance or big budgets

And this time, I won’t limit it to elementary or middle school teachers.

This will be for:

• Grade 1–8 teachers who want a bit more flexibility or customization

• High school teachers looking to weave garden learning into their Science, Arts, or Special Education classes

• Educators in alternative programs or private schools who need a tailored, modular approach

• Teachers who don’t want pre-written lesson plans, but want to learn how to create their own confidently

How This Course Differs From My Oasis Programs

To be clear: I’m not abandoning Oasis.
Oasis is amazing. It's still available, and I’ll keep supporting teachers who want everything mapped out  and done for them.

But this new course is different, here’s how:

Both approaches have value. But they serve different needs.

And I believe this new course/class could unlock garden-based learning for a whole new group of educators who want to lead their own projects but just need the framework to get started.

But First, Your Input

Before I build this course, I need to know:

👉 Do you want this?

Because I’ve done it before, got excited about an idea, poured my heart into creating something, only to realize it wasn’t what my audience truly wanted.

So I’m asking, directly:

➡️ Click here to vote: Yes / Maybe / No

That’s it.
Just 10 seconds of your time, and a huge gift to me as I decide what to focus on next.

Final Thoughts

I believe that every child deserves to experience the magic of growing food.

Not just because it’s healthy or environmentally important, but because it teaches patience, responsibility, and connection to the Earth—skills that no worksheet or test can offer.

And I believe teachers deserve the support to bring that magic to life in their classrooms, regardless of their grade level or gardening experience.

So if you’ve ever thought to yourself,
"I could totally do this if someone just showed me how..."
Then maybe, just maybe, this is for you.

Let me know what you think.

🌿 Click here to give your feedback

With gratitude,
Leila Mireskandari
Permaculture Designer, Gardening Coach for Teachers, and Host of the School Gardens with Ease Podcast