Planting a Promise

Schoolyards in 78 British Columbia communities will soon be awash with yellow daffodils spreading the message of hope with the BC Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation (BCAITC) Planting a Promise program! From urban areas including Greater Vancouver, Greater Victoria, and the Fraser Valley to rural areas like 150 Mile House, Crofton, and New Hazelton, everyone can enjoy the yellow flowers as a result of the Planting a Promise program. 11,450 students in 458 K-12 BC schools planted 13,740 daffodil bulbs with the Planting a Promise this past fall. Now, with spring’s arrival, a sea of yellow blooms will spread across the province. The bright yellow flowers are a symbol of positivity during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

During the coronavirus pandemic, the Planting a Promise program has seen its highest demand since its inception in 2013. The program gives BC K-12 classes an educational growing experience and a hands-on way of exploring the life cycles of flowers and what they need to grow. The increased popularity is in part due to the growing program’s adaptability to new learning environments and outdoor learning settings that allow for physical distancing. Additionally, the program, which allows students the opportunity to dig into soil and connect with nature, provides physical benefits of gardening and the mental health benefits of stress management, anxiety relief, and hope, which are particularly important during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Planting a Promise program provides learning opportunities throughout the school year. During the fall, students plant the bulbs, in the winter, students observe the dormant and early sprouting stages of the flowers’ growth, and in the spring, beautiful flowers arrive. The program, which is offered free to all BC schools that apply; many classes have planted daffodils at care homes or by community signs, or made bunches for moms.

“The Planting a Promise program provides a sense of community,” said Pat Tonn, BCAITC Executive Director. “Once the daffodils bloom, the schoolyards come alive with colour, the entire community benefits, and the students are excited to have been a part of it and proud of what they grew”.

Thank you to the Alpine Garden Club of BC and Van Noorts Bulbs for the generous donation of funding for the 2021 Planting a Promise program. Also, special thanks to Art Knapp, Buckerfields, Dykhof Nurseries & Florist, GardenWorks, Grow & Gather, Hunters Garden Centre, Phoenix Perennials, and Sticks 'N Stones Nursery, for assisting with kit delivery.

How to Get Students Involved with Hope is Growing

1. Register your school garden featuring Planting a Promise daffodils (or other yellow blooms) as a Communities in Bloom Hope Garden here. This will map Hope Gardens from coast to coast 
2. Download Hope is Growing signs here, then print and place the signs in your garden to let others know about this amazing nationwide campaign.
3. Post photos of your Hope Garden all year long on social media with the hashtag #HopeIsGrowing and enter the Hope is Growing social media contest for a chance to win prizes. Schools can enter in the School Garden category using the hashtag #CiBSchoolGarden. Be sure to tag @CiBCef (Instagram) or @communitiesinbloom (Facebook) and also include the hashtag #HopeisGrowing.
4. Find more Hope is Growing ideas and inspiration from Communities in Bloom at https://hopeisgrowing.ca.
5. Have fun and spread hope!