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Don't start until you have a plan!

It is time to get started with garden preparations for the spring, but before you pick up a shovel or begin choosing your plants you need to make a plan.
This is an exciting part of gardening when you can work as a team to decide on locations, shape, and size.

Without your plan preparation for your GIS Garden Map and general layout of plants will not be possible, without the "Plan" you won't know what will and won't fit in your garden. Your garden will be better organised and easier to manage as a result of preparing a clear plan.

Method

Students should measure the outer boundaries of the plot.

1. Work out a scale that you can draw onto paper, this will help define the online GIS map.

For the GIS map you will want to gather latitude and longitude of each of your planter boxes or garden plots.

The Camp Internet School Garden Registry for 2008 is located at: http://www.rain.org/global-garden/school-garden-registry/ (Go here first to login your class project.

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2. Mark on to your plans existing features in the garden such as trees and ponds. This can be done by drawing a grid onto the plan outline. Square metres are an ideal grid size .
3. Measure the distances to the existing features from the boundary. Once you have done this you can convert the measurements using the scale and draw a plan of the outer edge of the garden area and the existing features.
4. On copies of the plan or tracing overlays draw and list what you would like to go in the garden.
Remember:
• always mark which direction is north.
• Take note and include the full spread of tree canopies, and buildings as the shade they cast will affect planting decisions. It is surprising how far the branches spread across the garden. Areas uner tree canopies are always dry, as well as shady.

• include any problems, such as a waterlogged area.
• be realistic about what will fit into the garden.

What activities and investigations can your students undertake which are part of your standard curriculum?

English - Group work and discussion.

Drawing the plan - art and design

Maths - collecting information.

Geography - Using scale, drawing maps and plans.

Information Communication Technology - Research, collecting and entering data to use a computer program for the plan.

As you are Planning the garden layout:
Art and Design - Exploring and developing ideas.

Maths - Real life measurements and distances.

English - Research, reading and discussion.

Geography - Using scale.