Faced with tight school and city budgets, some residents of Richmond Southside Fourth District are taking matters into their own hands…and pocketbooks.

Led by Mary Argenteanu, a retired state employee and an active member of the Richmond Audubon Society, a group started a learning garden at Swansboro Elementary School a couple of years ago.  Based on that success, Ms. Argenteanu started a much bolder program this year at Southampton Elementary School.

With help from the Audubon Society, Southampton Principal Linda Bennett and her staff, and community volunteers, the group laid out an ambitious plan to use gardens as a teaching tool, and a way to beautify the school and the Southampton neighborhood.

The gardens are designed with, teacher advice, to tie into the Virginia Standards of Learning for primary grades.  They involve native plantings, plantings that are bird and butterfly friendly, and that are drought and weather tolerant.

Argenteanu also masterminded a plan for a nature trail through woodlands behind the school, tying into another garden and the Norman Blalock playground on Prairie Road.

The Audubon Society donated start-up funds; it was when Argenteanu went to the Southampton Civic Association for support the idea exploded into bloom.  In an unprecedented move, the civic association earmarked $3,000 to support the project, called on the neighborhood to make individual support and featured the program in the neighborhood newsletter.

Based on that exposure, a neighboring resident and garden lover stepped forward.  A retired art teacher, who wants to remain anonymous, toured the Swansboro garden, took a look at the Southampton plantings and plans…and made a $5,000 contribution, telling Argenteanu that she didn’t want the project to falter because of fund-raising.

So far, the gifts have totaled almost $10,000 and more is coming in every day.  Argenteanu is moving ahead with additional fall/winter plantings for the streetscape gardens, and is recruiting professional help in designing further plantings and the construction of the trail. She is also planning an opportunity in the spring for the Southampton community to come to the school and see what their contributions created.

Article and photos contributed by David Hathcock. Previous post on Southampton Garden.