An Overview
by Liza Kempton, Sara Kempton, Adriane Brozowski, and Tabatha Smith
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The Enchanted Garden is located in front of Kennedy High School at the Tibbett Avenue entrance. It's gates are open almost every day and all those interested in the environment are welcome to visit. To start out, we would like to point out that our school is one of the few in NYC priveledged enough to have a garden. Throughout it's five years of existence, JFK students and various volunteers have dedicated their time to transform a dirty, vacant lot into the nature haven you see today. |
Our garden is now home to hundreds of insects, moths,
and butterflies (including monarchs and swallowtails), as well as numerous
animal species like snakes, rats, skunks, and raccoons. The Enchanted
Garden serves as a residence for hundreds of birds, which include sparrows,
swallows, catbirds, woodpeckers, cardinals, blue jays, and orioles. |
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The Enchanted Garden's purpose is not only to beautify
Kennedy's entrance, but to provide students and teachers with knowledge
about our environment as well as give them a resource that brings them
closer to nature. Students from various classes are able to learn about
our environment on a hands-on basis. Our garden shows everyone an example
of the natural world. |
The Enchanted Garden was created by numerous ambitious and environmentally concerned students of John F. Kennedy High School. These students, with the assistance and supervision of teacher Tony Thoman, dedicated their time and energy to develop the Enchanted Garden. The Environmental Club at JFK High School is the source of the hard workers needed to beautify and maintain the garden. This club, which was started in 1994, has flourished, due to the collaboration of teachers and students throughout the school. |
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| The Wetlands: This section includes cattails, goldenrod, milkweed, marsh marigold, swamp willow, and elderberry. This area is a rich food source and nesting ground for birds and snakes. This area is a remnant of Spuyten Duyvil Creek, which used to flow through this valley. |
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The Butterfly Garden: This section includes butterfly bush (buddelia), butterfly weed (asclepias tuberosa), and monarda, to name some of the plants that are nectar sources for butterflies. Both swallowtails and monarchs can be found fluttering in this part of the garden. |
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Orchard Hill: All different kinds of fruit trees grow in this high spot in our garden. We have two apple , four peach, two apricot, two cherry, one plum, and one pear. This is also the area of the garden where we have a lawn and a nice sitting area. |
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The Farm: Every year, there are changes here. For the year of 2000, we grew an incredible variety of vegetables and herbs in our raised beds. As this is the only part of the garden that gets full sun almost all day long, our crops do very well as long as they get the needed water and compost. In 2000, we grew basil, dill, carrots, beets, collard greens, swiss chard, jalapeno peppers, bell peppers, japanese eggplants, turnips, bok choi, and of course, tomatoes. |
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The Pond: This was created in 1998 by five dedicated students. It is home to fish and frogs. It also serves as a source of water for our many visiting animals and birds. |
| The Forest: In this section, you will find the followoing trees, black locust, cottonwood, mulberry, red maple, Japanese maple, red oak, arborvite, hemlock, scotch pine, black pine, and white pine. For shrubs, you will see witch hazel, juniper, vibernum, and dogwood to name a few. This area is most popular for visitors seeking refuge from the hot sun on a summer day. |
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This web page was originally a pamphlet created by Liza Kempton, Sara Kempton, Adriane Brozowski, and Tabatha Smith, as a brochure for the garden in 2000.
Funding for the brochure making was provided by the Uplinc program.
The brochure is still available at our information kiosk.
View a full color map, and read more about the various habitats in the garden
This is a student Web page. Opinions expressed on this page shall not be attributed to the New York City Board of Education or the student's school.
