After summer break; teachers, administrators, and principals may be searching for ways to somehow connect their curriculum and students to nature! “Bringing the wild inside” is a mantra for projects that bring native habitat into schools. But as a public space, the amount of stakeholders and their input, expectations and limitations go way beyond a simple client/designer relationship. What works for the complex ecology of a school garden? Come dialogue with Jesse Chang as he shares design principles and practices learned over the course of 13 years and 15 school garden spaces in the San Gabriel Valley. Most recently 2 of them were featured in the Theodore Payne Foundation's 2025 Native Plant Garden Tour. We'll highlight several of the gardens from conception to installation and ongoing stewardship post planting.
In addition to landscape designers, this class is ideal for parents, caregivers, PTA members, and avid community members who want to see more green space and native habitat at our local schools.
This program will be recorded and available to view for 2 weeks after the class culminates.
Jesse Chang grew up exploring the backyard ecosystems in New England. After receiving a B.A. in Art in Pennsylvania, he moved to Pasadena to attend seminary. Regardless of what he studied, his love for nature and growing plants was a through line from childhood. His dive into all things California native began practically at a large school garden site with no irrigation system and three neglected native plants planted long ago. Over time and projects, he realized that for students to care for nature, they needed their campuses to help make the connection he made as a child in the woods. For more information on school habitat projects: https://www.catalystsgv.org/adopt-a-school.html
