Gardens

Peonies are the national flower of China. These peonies were donated to the school from a local Chinese family, who brought them directly from China. The children take part in watering them and use them for pressing flowers and flower arrangements.

In the spring, we study tulips. We have over fifty varieties of tulips from all over the world, primarily Holland, the tulip capital. These flowers are Darwin tulips, which come in many colors but are distinguished by being exceptionally large, sturdy, and long-lasting, and parrot tulips, named for their feathery edges.

She’s just had a lesson about pansies and had her nose in the hanging plant in the center. Pansies, also known as violets, do wonderfully in the cool weather of Massachusetts. These flowers are edible, but we just use them for flower pressing and arrangements.

We have numerous hibiscus around the property as annual plants. They’re the state flower of Hawaii. Their huge size makes them wonderful for lessons on the parts of a flower, and the children match them with our hibiscus flower model.

Our vegetable garden. The children have just planted peas, four varieties of beans, lettuce, leeks, garlic, pearl onions, shallots, and sunflowers, including the Mongolian Giant, which can grow 14 feet tall with an 18 inch head, and the Titan sunflower, with a 24 inch head. We’ll dry the many sunflower seeds and use them for art projects and feeding the birds.

This Native American peace garden was designed to commemorate the many indigenous people of our world. The hand-carved peace pole in the center has quotes from Dr. Montessori and native people. It is a place of tranquility.

Children planting peas and beans in trellised rows. Some of the varieties we planted are the rattlesnake pole bean, the Dragon Langerie bush bean, the purple Sugar Magnolia snap pea, and the Kentucky Wonder spaghetti bean. The children help water them as they grow all season, then take part in harvesting the pods for school snacks.

Hellebores and an assortment of flowering bulbs: snowbells, crocuses, and muscari, also known as grape hyacinth. She’s picking the grape hyacinth to put in a vase as part of the group’s flower arrangement lesson.

They always say to stop and smell the roses, but tulips are a lot less prickly to smell! The children have picked a large basket of flowering spring bulbs, primarily tulips and daffodils.

Nature is so beautiful. The contrast between the flower and the lush green around it is stunning.

Sitting amongst the Mediterranean herbs of Greece, he’s just clipped a piece of lemon balm. This herb bed contains over twenty different species. As other vegetables are harvested, these herbs will accompany them in recipes.

On the winding path through the front garden. The seedpods of yellow indigo plants like these were used by Native Americans to make rattles for their children.

The two roses here are also David Austin roses. The pink one is a climbing rose, while the red a bush rose. In the background is a broad-leaf magnolia, planted back in the year 2000. This unusual tree produces an enormous white flower, the largest of any non-tropical plant, followed by a huge, cone-like fruit.

Four David Austin roses flank the pergola entrance to Pincushion Hill Montessori School. They were planted by the children of Pincushion many years ago. In the 1950s, David Austin began a quest to create the most beautiful roses possible. He preferred old fashioned roses to the newer tea rose, but he recognized the advantages the tea roses have for gardeners and worked for his entire life to bring those traits to the older varieties.

Here’s the path leading into our meditation area. On the left, massive white Chinese peonies bloom, and on the right are delicate purple iris flowers.

By the colorful garden shed are more flowers. A pair of massive floribunda roses shows off their abundant flowers while a smaller iris blooms by their side. This was planted by the kinder-gardeners a few years ago.

Our spring vegetable garden, partly planted at the time. The students plant, care for, and harvest the vegetables throughout the year.