Garden Club gets bigger greenhouse

The Sisters Elementary School Garden Club has a new greenhouse that exceeds the club’s dreams. The greenhouse has gone from a cramped little building where students used to plant seeds elbow-to-elbow to a modern 24-by-36-foot structure. The greenhouse needs siding and other finishing touches and should be completed in time for next school year.

Four years ago, a dedicated group of parents repaired an old greenhouse, built raised beds and began teaching gardening to kindergarten through fifth graders. Vonda Soliz and Shannon Pollard founded the club and have worked with other parent volunteers to raise funds to expand both the greenhouse and the outdoor garden space. The Club has been raising money through fundraisers such as this Saturday’s Garden Fair.

Soliz and Pollard said Sisters businesses have been helpful through the years since the club exists on private donations. They are especially appreciative that Rick Paul, owner of Central Oregon Pole Structures, put up the large new structure at a greatly reduced cost.

“He’s been very generous in wanting to help us in our cause,” said Soliz. She said that without Paul’s help, the new greenhouse would be much smaller. The greenhouse is so big that the Club needed to go through the permit process with the City of Sisters. While that delayed the project, Soliz and Pollard are thrilled that the new greenhouse can better accommodate the 128 students in the club.

Next Pollard and Soliz and a group of parent volunteers will put up the siding. After that, they hope for a donation of fencing to protect the outside garden. Students will help install the irrigation system.

Starting next September, students will be able to plant seeds, water their plants and watch them grow. Since the old greenhouse was so small, parents had to move the plants to the middle school greenhouse and students missed out on seeing the growing process. Teachers are excited that the space can now accommodate classes.

The Third Annual Garden Fair is at Sisters Elementary School this Saturday, May 13, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fair goers can buy hanging baskets and painted pots with a choice of plants. Also featured will be a screened T-shirt with the winning sunflower design by second-grader Jake Sahlberg.