Bell Garden Gets a Shed

The latest improvement to the Bell School's privately-funded organic garden is a place to store its tools — a shed.

Bell garden volunteers wanted to build it before winter.

That goal looks in reach with the School Committee's shed approval Thursday.

In addition to shovels and cultivators, bins and hoses, the 6-foot by 18-foot shed will store school playground equipment.

Architect Jeff Tucker and landscape designer Catherine Martin — both volunteers with the garden project — updated School Committee members on the shed and garden.

The storage unit's roof is 8.5 feet tall and separated by some 30 inches from the school roof. It will standy in a handy location, near the garden, located across from the school playground.

Over the summer families tended the garden and shared in its bounty.

Last spring the garden at the K-3 school became part of the curriculum. Students and adults tended the garden and took part in yoga, reading, writing, and reflection.

Between Upper and Lower Bell, there are eight raised beds and four sections of the pizza garden were growing herbs and vegetables: zinnias and cosmos, sunflowers, arugula, swiss chard, lettuces, beans, radishes, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, pumpkins, watermelons, zucchini, summer squash, cucumbers and spinach.

The garden will continue, more and more, to be integrated into the chool curriculum.