Grant Helps Fund Monmouth Day Care Center’s Outdoor Garden Beds

August 19, 2021

Teaching Students the Benefits and Appreciation of Nature

Monmouth Day Care Center (MDCC) in Red Bank, New Jersey, recently received a $3,800 grant towards improving the natural greenery of the MDCC outdoor playground and to teach young students the benefits and appreciation of nature. The funds were donated by the New Jersey Committee (NJC) of The Garden Club of America, in response to a proposal submitted by Rumson Garden Club (RGC) in the hopes that teaching about the growing arts will help cure ‘plant blindness’ in children.

The $3,800 grant was used to rebuild three existing raised flower beds, to construct a fourth bed, and to purchase new soil and plants to fill the beds. Each of the four raised beds is dedicated to a specific purpose. One bed is filled with perennial and annual plants. A second bed is planted with native species to nurture pollinators and to educate the children about the importance of “going native.” A third bed is for growing vegetables, such as peppers, tomatoes, and eggplants, that were propagated by RGC members and MDCC staff. The harvested bounty will be distributed to the students’ families. The fourth bed is designed to be a sensory garden. For touch, the bed is planted with soft lambs’ ears and hens and chicks. For smell, children can enjoy oregano, sage, and scented geranium. A variety of species are also planted to stimulate the senses of taste and hearing. All plants are labeled in English and Spanish, reflecting MDCC’s bi-lingual program.

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