The Friends of Greenview and Pioneer Nature Areas have created an edible plant demonstration garden for education and enjoyment. This garden highlights both native and non-native food plants that thrive in our area, offering inspiration for home landscapes.
The initial planting focused on hardy, low-maintenance trees, shrubs, berries, and a variety of herbs that produce flavorful fruits, nuts, and leaves. As we continue expanding the garden, we plan to introduce a mix of native and cultivated varieties selected for improved vigor, fruit size, or other valuable traits in food plants.
Paw Paw Asimina triloba
American elder Sambucus canadensis
Hazelnut Corylus avellana
Berries
Wild strawberry, native black raspberry, cultivated red raspberry
Herbs
Orchard
A more recent addition to the Edible Garden is a small orchard featuring fruit trees that are hardy in Southeast Michigan. This includes apricots and several varieties of apples, such as Wickson Crab, Enterprise, and Dolgo Crab.
Hands-On Learning at Greenview
The Edible Garden project was made possible through the efforts of the Friends, Pioneer High School, and other dedicated volunteers. The garden serves as a living classroom, showcasing sustainable, regionally adapted food plants while enhancing the natural beauty of Greenview.
Many classes, from elementary to high school, use the Edible Garden and the surrounding Greenview Park and Pioneer Woods areas for hands-on learning. Classes such as Biology, Earth Science, Geophysical Science Accelerated, and AP Environmental Science (APES) visit these spaces to explore topics like habitats, succession, and biodiversity. Students have also engaged in projects such as soil testing and groundwater/pond comparison studies, making Greenview a valuable resource for education and environmental exploration.
