Henson Building Materials of Landrum has donated a variety of Sow True flower and herb seeds to kick off the Tryon Garden Club’s project, Learning to Grow … Growing to Learn, a part of the club’s 85th anniversary celebration and designed to engage Polk County elementary students in gardening.

Heidi Shull, the club’s education chairperson says, “What’s exciting about Learning to Grow … Growing to Learn is the opportunity for our garden club to collaborate with teachers and students on a beautiful garden.”

The first garden will be at Tryon Elementary School where the second grade classes and the Polk County High School Occupational class will work together to establish the garden this school year.

Maria Freeman, special education teacher at Polk County High School, has been instrumental in planning the garden.

The garden will begin in the school’s greenhouse and continue after a spring transplant and include a native North Carolina garden, an herb garden for texture and aroma, and a butterfly garden to attract pollinators.

“Maria did a wonderful job incorporating color, texture, and smell into the plan,” said Shull.

Henson’s Building Materials became involved by donating Sow True seeds which are non-treated, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom seeds.

They are safe for students and may be saved and replanted from year to year.

“I was impressed with Maria and with John Ray [of Henson’s],” said Shull. “Maria really knows a great deal about plants and gardening, and John Ray is very committed to gardening, especially organic. Today I learned Henson’s has a full line of organic gardening supplies.”

Educating members of the community is one of the Tryon Garden Club’s missions and why they chose the school project as a part of their anniversary celebration.

– article submitted by Susan McNabb