"Some people look for a beautiful place, others make the place BEAUTIFUL." - Hazrat Inayat Khan
Hello Hive friends! You see, gardening and landscaping have been my addiction since childhood. I used to grow up in a place where agriculture was the main source of living. We planted a variety of vegetables, root crops, and corn back then. It saved us from hunger when most of the time we had no rice to cook or viand to serve on the table. A boiled banana or a boiled sweet potato could go a long way. What was important was that we did not go to bed with an empty stomach.
So, I grew up with a mutual and strong connection with cultivating the soil. Much more when I became a teacher. I find relaxation while cleaning, planting, landscaping, and cultivating. When I feel the need to recharge, it is my source of energy and my stress-relieving outlet.
I humbly present to you my simple area in school. This is the area assigned to me and for my class. This is my eye-relaxing place where I spent most of my time after a tiring day. This is also the place where I never had second thoughts about sparing a small amount from what's left of my salary to buy the materials needed for the landscape.
I am proud to say that I am a hands-on teacher-gardener. Despite the busy class schedule (from 8 am - 4 pm straight) and school papers works and reports, I could still share time for my ornamental plants, garden, and landscape (at least 1 hour a day). I would even love to spend weekends with family in school😂 (Thanks to my supportive husband😍).
It is also with extreme gratitude that I give credit to my adorable and cooperative students for always supporting me and helping me during their free time. They were all indeed very thoughtful. They were always ready to help. They were the ones who brought me stones for our heart-shaped planting area.
These students of mine were from poor families too, so I am very connected to them because I can relate to them, we came from a humble beginning. That's why I gave them rewards (monetary or goods) sometimes for their hard work (how I wish to give more if only I had more 😥). I also supported some of them with their school fees (the least I can do). I have had 10 students on my sponsorship list and I planned to make it double next year. I hope God will bless our family's finances to even sponsor more.😇 I felt sad because I planned to give them this year school supplies but I have had tighter finances lately because of the pandemic. I only hope and pray that I could make it next year. Amen.
One thing that I can be proud of with my ornamental garden and landscape was the recycled materials we used (to minimize expenses, of course). If you looked back at the photos, you will notice the following: old tires (I used as footsteps' frame then small stones and cement), an empty glass (I used as a plant pot), plastic bottles (I used as pots for my hanging plants), used containers, stones, plastic galloons (I also used for the flower design), coconut husks, coconut shells, and old logs.
Our school is also very supportive of our efforts of beautifying our area by providing paints to make it more attractive to the eyes. I did the painting and designing myself. It was simple like me, haha, the way I like it!🥰
Recently, my husband helped me in putting some cement on the heart-shaped stones that we and my students created to make them stronger. Good thing that the school provided a few sacks of sand and I only bought a sack of cement. We did it on Saturday, and no water was available (water supply has always been a problem) so I ended up fetching water from our school fish pond😂 (I only took a few gallons of water, there was a lot left for the fish, don't worry!😂)
Although it's not finished yet, my heart is very happy looking at it. It still needs finishing touches, paint, soil, and vegetable plant (I planned to plant spinach in there). I am waiting for my savings to increase to be able to afford the materials. I hope I can save enough by next month, to finally finish it🙏.
Aside from ornamentals, I also planted vegetables and spices. I used to plant okra, eggplant, spinach, horse radish, pepper, lemongrass, and more.
I am also blessed and grateful to my students' parents for always extending a helping hand in cutting off weeds and cultivating our school garden. They were our partners in preparing the soil, and the organic fertilizers.
We also have this program in the school, the "Gulayan sa Paaralan" (Garden in School Program). The school actively participated in and implemented this program. This is also for me a BEAUTIFUL place within the campus. The school was recognized and received various awards for this. Something that the school, teachers, parents, stakeholders, and students could be proud of.
Sending big hugs!
You school garden looks much better than mine. 😂 its nice to hee how students' parents are so involved with helping your initiative on beautifying the place! It really looks so good. Kudos!
Thank you so much @indayclara... I cannot do it alone without the help of this beautiful people, my students parents, my students, my colleagues and of course my husband🥰
Again, thank you so much, I owe this to you my mentor🥰 God bless!
Beautiful garden and my utmost respect for getting the students involved and participating in this great project.
Thank you so much @rebolegi for recognizing our efforts🥰 Truly, I cannot do this alone... These students are my helping hands and also a source of inspiration🥰 I always tell them how important planting and cultivating barren lands. Not to mention, the support of their parents🥰
Thank you for your time reading this one... I truly appreciate it🥰 Warm hugs☺
This is such an invaluable initiative outside the school's curriculum that you embarked on to introduce your students from an early age to planting and growing, and interacting with nature. These outdoor activities should have been encouraged, adopted, and turned into school programs. As a parent, this is the activity I would like to get my children involved in rather than see them wasting their time playing on their phones or video games all day. Most parents these days struggle to make ends meet, and they either don't have the time, don't have a clue, or are too tired to get their children involved in positive outdoor activities. The academic curriculum is important, but on the other hand, we also have to learn how to care for mother nature. It should be introduced and taught from a young age.
Wow, So inspring @ciadanmea.Maka proud!How I wish all teachers are like you. A teacher who loves landscping and gardening.
I thank you so much @dehai... Know that you are my mentor and a leader by example. Sa imoha nako ni nakita tanan... Dayon follow the leader..😂😂🥰
Somehow, God will bless your good intentions to students and your heart for being a diligent teacher. Good job @ciadanmea
I am humbled and honored and grateful @jobeliever... I believe all teachers are diligent, skillful, and talented. I just happen to love cultivating the soil and more inclined in finding happiness in seeing my not-smooth hands in dirt and soil..😂
Anyway, thank you so much for dropping by. I appreciate it much.
Congratulations @ciadanmea! You have completed the following achievement on the Hive blockchain and have been rewarded with new badge(s):
Your next target is to reach 200 comments.
You can view your badges on your board and compare yourself to others in the Ranking
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOPTo support your work, I also upvoted your post!
Check out the last post from @hivebuzz:
Support the HiveBuzz project. Vote for our proposal!
Thank you so much @hivebuzz 🥰...
I love this section, it is so colorful and vibrant.
Thank you so much @afterglow... Those were various ornamentals randomly planted. We did not expect it to look amazing as it grows and blooms altogether. Indeed, beautiful to the eyes. That small red flowers at the last are truly amazing to me. We called it "Every day, I love you" because it never stops flowering☺.
Anyway, I am grateful to you for dropping by. I am truly honored. Thank you🥰 Warm hugs☺
You're welcome, so proud of individuals like you doing some of the extra work in beautifying your school, Nice job!
you make me remember when I was in school
Have you also experienced this at school @xoendaily? I bet you were one of those cooperative and helpful students in the school garden.
Well, thank you for dropping by and I love the comment, hehe,, it made me guess if you like school gardening or not really your kind of thing. Anyway, thank you and see you around.... Warm hugs🥰
God knows the intents of your heart ma'am @ciadanmea, soon He will give all your heart's desire on time.
Thank you so much @mommyjane for the warmth 🥰... Praise the Lord. AMEN😇
Indeed a beautiful place. I bet your workplace is a manifestation of how beautiful you are as a teacher @ciadanmea.
Thank you so much @itsmetim for these beautiful words. I am honored but at the same time humbled to be considered beautiful teacher haha.. I don't think I am in that category. I still have a lot to learn and am willing to learn.
This reminds me of the my elementary days where we have a huge garden for banana and other veggies, looks like you all enjoy gardening.
Thank you so much @rodylina... I am delighted that this post could bring back memories from your elementary years.
Thank you so much for dropping by. See you around. Warm hugs🥰
This is really a great work, also a clean school garden. You are very supportive hardworking in this establishment of school garden. Thanks so much.
🥰
The least I can do for the school, though. Aside from doing my main job which is teaching the children🥰Thank you so much @jude9... I really appreciate it.
Sending big hugs🥰
I remember my Elementary days. Lol
Hahaha, I'm glad that this post brings you back to old memories. I hope those were happy and good memories in your school garden @bisayanibai 🥰
Thank you for your time and for dropping a comment. I appreciate it much. Best regards ☺
Beautiful garden! Wow!
Thank you so much @deythedevil... I am happy you also find it beautiful. 🥰
Students used to make gardens in school not the teachers. I never saw any of my teachers back then doing this thing. You must be very hard-working one.
Thank you so much @diding 🥰, it's sad that students nowadays are more hooked on their phones than in the school garden.
I do it myself because I want to be a teacher by example to them rather than a teacher who constantly commands like a boss on what to do. I know teachers in public schools here have a lot of workloads and paperwork but I prefer to spare time for the garden.
Anyway, I appreciate your time for dropping by. See you around. My best regard🥰
What a great post. Your dedication to teaching your students the many benefits of gardening may turn into a lifelong passion for them.
You mention that you are a hands-on teacher, there is no better way to learn than to do. If you want to get the attention of students put something in their hands and let them experience it for themselves.
To have the support of so many for what you are doing speaks volumes about the passion you have for this program.
I was a teacher for over 30 years and so much of what was included in this post brought back so many fond memories.
Students don't care about how much you know until they know about how much you care!
I am grateful @thebigsweed for this amazing comment I am extremely humbled by the time you spent reading the post.
I am glad to hear that you were a teacher for 30 years and I will be honored to learn from you.
Again, thank you so much and God bless. Sending my warm big hugs,🥰
Congratulations on winning the passion category in the #gardenjournal, in my book you were the clear winner by far. God bless you for loving what you do, teach. It must also be very gratifying that your husband is so helpful and supports your efforts.
Have a wonderful day.
@ciadanmea I am impressed by your planting and tree care. I love your gardening so much. Best wishes and prayers for you. Hope you share more tree care planting methods with us in future.
Thank you so much @dream-sky 🥰 I appreciate your time for dropping by. Best regards.
@ciadanmea Thank you very much. May you always smile and be happy. Best wishes to you.
Oh my goodness this is fantastic. It's so colourful and it's clear you are not only passionate about gardening but also that your students have a beautiful place to learn. I loved this entry so much - thankyou so much for sharing!!!!
Thank you so much @riverflows... My heart is filled with your comment. Thank you for your time reading my post🥰. I truly appreciate it. All the comments here really give me additional motivation to improve my garden more.
And yes, you are right, this is a beautiful place where my students can learn life skills. 🥰
Thanks again for dropping by☺ Warm hugs🥰
So nice! I remembered my elementary days looking at these pictures. We did gardening in every grade but we never had that much plants to arrange, much like into yours.
There were wide of varieties as well, from flowering plants to vegetables, and even fruit bearing trees. We had a fair share of the experience of gardening as we progress to different grades. And I think it was also because of the curriculum that gardening itself felt like limited in a way.
I remember there was a time thst we only planted 'calamansi' (a citrus plant) and we had to take care of it all year round. It was rewarding to see the plant grow and transition from small plant into a medium sized tree. And yes, it did bear fruit.
Your students are very lucky to have such a caring and thoughtful teacher! You are doing an amazing work there :)
Thank you so much @fotostef...🥰 Well, I am also lucky to have them. I appreciate the time you spent on this post. Thanks again for dropping by. Best regards.
You are doing an amazing, colorful and joyful work!This is pure magic @ciadanmea! The garden is amazing, you are amazing, the supportive husband is amazing, and all students and their parents are so lucky to have you in their lives to inspire them... so are we :)
Thank you so much @traisto... I am honored by your compliment. You are one of the amazingly beautiful people here in the hive. Thank you for your kindness... 🥰 Best regards.
Thank you and will see you around!You are awesome @ciadanmea and I am really glad our paths crossed :)