Pacific Northwest Gardening: Garden bed by classroom, 1 by mauryhillfarm

mauryhillfarm wrote:
I just put in a garden bed outside my classroom using cottage stone blocks. Now I'm in the process of digging out all the concrete chunks and construction debris that I've discovered in the soil there. Many small, sharp pieces of metal, so I can't let the kids dig in it yet, and boy do they want to! They had a great time stacking the blocks on the second and third layers. This is against a south facing wall that gets mostly sun, but a bit of shade in the morning. I need ideas for what to plant in it that doesn't need a lot of water over the summer, is of interest in the fall, winter, and spring, and is NOT poisonous. Easy for kids to grow is also a plus. I am thinking 3 small shrubs in the center and perennials, herbs, and bulbs around the edges. Any input greatly appreciated.