Growing Curiosity: How Schoolyards in Bloom Is Taking Root in North Texas Classrooms

TBG proudly sponsors ASLA’s Schoolyards in Bloom: Exploring Pollinators Through Landscape Architecture, a national initiative designed to bring landscape architecture education into K–5 classrooms. The program introduces young students to native plants, pollinators, and the role design plays in creating healthy, resilient ecosystems using outdoor learning as the platform for discovery.

Giving the program wings

At an elementary school about 30 minutes east of Dallas, a therapist and volunteer who leads the school’s Gardening Educational Learning program recently introduced ASLA’s pollinator curriculum to her kindergarten students.

The class spent time preparing their raised beds for the season by removing summer plantings and sowing native wildflower seeds. Using activities and prompts from Exploring Pollinators Through Landscape Architecture, students learned how pollinators rely on plant diversity, how landscapes support wildlife, and how even a small garden contributes to a larger ecological story. The ASLA materials offer new visuals, discussions, and hands-on opportunities that strengthen the school’s existing outdoor learning program in meaningful ways.

Outdoor learning spaces, even small ones, help children develop early connections to nature, improve attention and well-being, and foster curiosity about the world around them. When paired with education, these spaces become living laboratories – places where students can:

_ Observe native plants and local wildlife
_ Understand seasonal cycles
_ Build early environmental literacy
_ Practice stewardship in a tangible way
_ Provide physical, mental, and social benefits for students to reduce anxiety, improve mood, and increase physical activity

Programs like Schoolyards in Bloom strengthen this foundation by giving teachers accessible tools and activity guides rooted in the values of ecological design.

TBG is committed to supporting initiatives that broaden access to design education and help young learners understand the landscapes that shape their communities. As more schools adopt the ASLA curriculum, we look forward to seeing how these early experiences spark curiosity, environmental awareness, and a deeper appreciation for the landscapes that surround us.

Additional Resources:

Schoolyards in Bloom Poster and Printables
Apply to host a Schoolyards in Bloom launch party
Download activity sheets!Cut-Outs: Butterfly, Bee, Flower, Pollen, Stems