Roosevelt Learning Gardens
Native Plant Garden, Established in 2012
The native plant garden is located on the East side of the main building as it falls below street grade alongside 15th Ave NE. This 50-foot strip of garden is landscaped with native trees groundcovers and shrubs which are installed and maintained by Roosevelt high school NW Ecology students. An iron fence separates the garden area from the street above along the northern section of the garden area. There is a set of concrete stairs near the north end and another lower set of stairs on the South end which provide access to the lower level of the site from 15th Ave NE. By installing and maintaining plants and trees in the garden students learn about native plants and the importance of green spaces in and around the city for wildlife and for people.
Description of Native Plants on Site
There are 2 Douglas Fir trees (Pseudotsuga menziesii) located in the middle of the garden area and 2 more towards the North end of the building. The hillside contains 13 Vine Maple trees (Acer circinatum) as well as Red Elderberry and Blue Elderberry (Sambucas racemosa), and (Sambucas).
Native shrubs include Rhododendron (Rhododendron macrophyllum), Ocean Spray (Holodiscus discolor), Red flowering current (Ribes Sanguineum), Nootka rose (rosa nutkana), Red Osier dogwood ( Cornus stolonifera), Evergreen huckleberry, (Vaccinium menziesii), Service Berry (Amelanchier alnifolia), Snowberry (Symphocaripos albus), Thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus), Salmonberry (Rubus specabilis), Indian plum, (Osmaronia cerasiformis), Oregon grape (Mahonia nervosa and aquifolium), Mock orange (Philadelphus lewisii), and Trailing blackberry (Rubus ursinus).
Ground covers include Wood sorrel (oxalis oregana) , Coastal strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis), Sword fern (Polystichum munitum), Kinnikinnick (Arctostaphalos uva-ursi), Salal, (Gaultheria shallon) in the spring and summer you can find native Bleeding heart (Dicentra formosa), Camas (camassia quamash), Oregon purple iris(iris tenax), Hookers onion (Allium acumenatum), Fringe cup (Telima graniflora), and Red columbine (aquilegia formosa).
Climate Change Garden, Established in 2011
The garden is located near the main entrance of the high school. The garden is used by NW ecology classes. Students learn about plant phenology and the effects of climate change on plant life cycles. Student teams are responsible for one species of plant. They learn the phenophases for this plant and get out about once/week to collect data beginning in March. Students benefit from involvement in this project because they learn about plant life cycles. While making observations about phenophases, students also take note of the presence of pollinators.
Raised Garden Beds
Located on the South side of the school are 3 raised garden bins which are used by NW Ecology students to grow vegetables as part of a unit on soil ecology. Each bin has a different soil treatment. Students compare the growth between each bin and the impacts of soil. On the East side of the school are 2 raised garden beds used to grow fresh herbs which are used in our culinary arts program and maintained by students in NW Ecology and the horticultural club.
Notable Trees on Site at Roosevelt
A Ginko tree close to the building at the Southeast corner of the site in a triangular garden is the largest specimen of its kind on Seattle public property. Donated by the Nishitani family, it stands over 60 feet tall. Southeast of the Ginko tree is a Scarlet Oak (Quercus coccinea) which is a landmark massive tree easily seen from the intersection of 15th Ave NE and 66th street. It is believed the oak tree was donated by the Roosevelt family. Southwest of the Ginko tree and down a hollow is a Black Walnut (Juglans nigra). It is the second or largest specimen of its type on a Seattle public property. Like the Scarlet Oak it can grow over 100 feet high and live hundreds of years.