What Kind of Garden Teacher Are You? (And Why It Matters More Than You Think)

Over the years of helping teachers grow school gardens, one truth keeps rising to the surface:

🌿 There is no one-size-fits-all approach to teaching through gardening.

Some educators light up at the thought of seed trays on their windowsill. Others get anxious just thinking about who will water the garden over summer break. Some dream big, others keep it small and steady. And none of them are wrong.

But here’s the problem…

Many teachers feel stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure of their next step because they’re trying to follow advice that simply wasn’t meant for their type of garden journey.

That’s why I created a simple tool to change that:
👉 Discover Your School Garden Teacher Type

It’s a quick, insightful quiz that shows you where you are in your journey — and more importantly, what kind of support will actually help you right now.

Let’s talk about why knowing your garden teacher type matters so much.

When you don’t know your type, you’re more likely to:

• Burn out trying to do too much too fast

• Waste time and energy on the wrong strategies

• Believe myths like “I need more money” or “I can’t do this alone”

• Put your garden on hold because it doesn’t look like someone else’s version of success

But when you do know your type?

💡 You gain clarity.
💡 You let go of guilt.
💡 You get to work smarter, not harder.

Let’s look at the four types you might fall into — and how recognizing yourself in one of them can be a game-changer.

🌱 Type 1: The Curious Starter

You have the spark.
You’re dreaming of a garden, maybe even collecting ideas or saving lesson pins on Pinterest.

But you’re not sure how it would actually work in your classroom.

You might be wondering:

• Where would we even grow things?

• What if I don’t have a green thumb?

• Can I even fit this into my curriculum?

👉 If that’s you, you’re not behind — you’re exactly where you need to be.
And the next best move isn’t to jump into a big program or build raised beds. It’s to take one simple step to get your feet wet (like starting seeds indoors or reading a short resource on how classroom gardens actually work).

🌻 Type 2: The Overwhelmed Hustler

If you’ve been leading a garden club, coordinating compost, growing veggies in buckets, and maybe even managing a greenhouse, this might sound familiar:

You love your school garden — but it’s a lot.

You’re admired for your passion, but behind the scenes, you’re:

• Doing it all yourself

• Constantly answering questions

• Feeling like you’re holding the entire garden together with duct tape and duct-taped hope

What you need is structure — not more projects.

The support that will actually help you is the kind that says: “Here’s how to simplify. Here’s how to stop being the engine and become the guide.”

(One of my most popular free tools — the guide to School Gardens with Almost No Summer Maintenance — is a perfect match for Hustlers.)

🌿 Type 3: The Independent Grower

You’ve started your garden. You’ve learned a lot (sometimes the hard way). You’ve seen what works — and what flops.

Maybe your class has grown beans, harvested lettuce, or built pollinator habitats.
But deep down, you know it could be more integrated. More effective. More strategic.

You might be improvising, cobbling together lessons, or repeating the same plan each spring.

You’re not new — you’re experienced. And now’s the time to shift from reactive to intentional.

This is where tools like seasonal planning guides, curriculum-aligned lesson packs, or long-term vision coaching can make a huge difference.

🌼 Type 4: The Curriculum-Driven Cultivator

Your garden is your classroom.
You’ve brought science, art, math, and even language into the soil.

You see your students light up with curiosity, creativity, and calm when they’re in the garden. You’ve created something beautiful — and now you’re thinking:

• How do I bring more teachers in?

• How can I get admin on board for something bigger?

• How do I make this sustainable long-term?

You don’t need inspiration. You need leadership tools. Buy-in strategies. Scalable systems.

If this is you, you might be ready for school-wide planning or even a coaching session to bring your vision to life.

Why most garden support doesn’t work for everyone

Here’s the truth: I’ve created a lot of resources over the years — and not all of them are helpful to every teacher.

For example:

• A Curious Starter doesn’t need my Oasis School program yet.

• A Hustler might not benefit from a seed-starting guide — but they do need a framework for reducing burnout.

• A Cultivator might skip free beginner resources and instead need strategic coaching.

That’s why this quiz matters.

It’s not just a fun exercise (though it is that too). It’s a tool that lets me help you based on where you are — not where someone else thinks you should be.

Here’s what happens when you take the quiz

✔️ You’ll learn your School Garden Teacher Type
✔️ You’ll get a customized action step that fits your level
✔️ I’ll send you the right resource — free or paid — that matches your needs
✔️ You’ll be added to the email list (with your permission) where I send only the info that helps you where you are

👉 Take the quiz now

It’s free, takes about 2 minutes, and will give you clarity, direction, and support — without the overwhelm.

One last thing...

As Henry Ford famously said:
“If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.”

Sometimes, when we don’t know what’s possible, we try to fix problems with the wrong tools.
Or we assume we need to “do more” when what we actually need is to do less — but better, and smarter.

Understanding your garden teacher type is like discovering that automobiles exist.
It lets you stop chasing “faster horses” and start growing a garden that fits your rhythm, goals, and capacity.

🌿 Take the quiz here
🌼 Then send me a message on LinkedIn or Instagram — I’d love to hear what type you got.

Let’s grow your garden with ease — and with clarity.

—
Leila Mireskandari
Founder, Kids Growing City
Host, School Gardens with Ease