See a brand new Northwest native garden

Loop past the west side of Seattle's Salmon Bay School (19th Ave NW, north of 65th Street) and you'll see recent handiwork of 3rd- through 5th-graders: a newly-planted water-wise garden featuring 38 species of Pacific Northwest natives. Four Salmon Bay classes participating in Homewaters Project's year-long "Watershed Gardens" water conservation program planted 450 shrubs and small plants in one day!

Earlier this year, the students conducted school water audits (do you know how many times you flush a day and how long you let the water run?), used math to calculate the area of the garden, researched native plants, sheet-mulched the site and spread compost. Before the end of the school year, they will educate the community on ways to conserve water. This garden is part of that effort.

Creek Peek for Families

You can view this new garden from the sidewalk. Take a look! How many of the 38 different native plant species can you find? If you don't have any Northwest natives in your own yard, start with something small like a salal plant, Oregon grape or sword fern. Salmon Bay School's water-wise garden will require supplemental water at first. But once it's established, it will need little, if any, water or fertilizer, because native plants are adapted to our local climate and soils.