Marietta Daisies Garden Club

Katryn Taylor
Aug 3
3 min read

Restoration of the Marietta Middle School Sensory Garden Project

The Marietta Daisies enjoyed

a productive summer restoring

and enhancing the

Marietta Middle School

Sensory Garden.

It has been four years since the garden was installed by the Marietta Daisies Garden Club, and after years of enthusiastic use by students and exposure to the elements, several features were ready for a well-deserved refresh.

Over the course of the summer, approximately 50 volunteer hours were dedicated to restoring and improving the garden, ensuring it remains a welcoming, interactive outdoor classroom for Marietta Middle School students and teachers.

The play bridge was repaired with replacement pieces, the garden gate was restored to its proper hinged position with a working latch, and tripping hazards caused by deteriorated tree stumps were eliminated.

Thanks to the generous donation of charming birdhouses from Jan Galt, the garden fence now offers added beauty and whimsical curb appeal. The Adirondack chair received needed repairs and a fresh coat of paint, while the faded hopscotch game was completely repainted, inviting students to enjoy active outdoor play once again.

One of the favorite picnic tables, featuring the educational butterfly life cycle mural and a built-in checkerboard, was beautifully restored. The three remaining picnic tables were also repainted and now feature colorful Tic-Tac-Toe game boards, complete with playing pieces conveniently stored on attached hooks for students to enjoy.

Before After

Solving a Drainage Challenge

One of the biggest improvements addressed a long-standing drainage issue. Heavy rains often left standing water around the picnic table area, creating muddy conditions that limited teachers' ability to use the outdoor classroom.

We have found Southeasttree.com tree service to improve the space, with a substantial amount of free mulch that will be added along with 30 pavers generously donated by

Maria Harbin and her husband. With the hard work of Brian Harbin and Bryan Taylor, our dedicated "Daisies Dudes", the pavers will be installed throughout the area most affected by standing water. We hope these improvements will help keep the space drier and allow students and teachers to enjoy the garden more frequently.

An additional 16 pavers, donated by Deanna Slone and her husband Mike Slone, will be placed beneath each picnic table leg to prevent the tables from sinking into the mulch, creating a safer and more stable seating area for students.

The date has not yet been set for this instillation, but look for an email to pitch in for spreading of the mulch and laying of pavers in the coming weeks.

Growing for the Community

Co-Chairs Martha Lee Sanders and Maria Harbin coordinated the summer watering schedule and oversaw harvesting the garden's vegetables, which were donated to the Presbyterian Church Food Bank to help families in our community.

Thank You, Daisies!

This restoration project would not have been possible without the generosity, hard work, and dedication of our amazing volunteers.

A heartfelt thank you to Martha Lee Sanders, Maria Harbin, Jan Galt, Leigh Ann Nielsen, Elizabeth Buford, Tracie Guckian, Yvette Beckett, Deanna Slone, and Katryn Taylor for contributing countless hours, donations, and materials to restore the sensory garden's hardscape, games, and educational features.

We would also like to extend a very special thank you to our incredible Daisies Dudes,

Brian Harbin and Bryan Taylor, who are always willing to lend a helping hand. Your support enables the Marietta Daisies to continue fulfilling our mission of creating beautiful, educational spaces that enrich our community.

Together, we have ensured that the Marietta Middle School Sensory Garden will continue to inspire exploration, learning, and joyful outdoor experiences for students for years to come.

Alternative free mulch services are Atlanta Arbor and Top Tier Trees