NATURAL HABITAT SCHOOL GARDEN: A Hotspot of Diversity in the Middle of Los Angeles

Natural Habitat Garden, Esperanza School, Los Angeles, CA

Just a few blocks from the skyscrapers of downtown Los Angeles is an amazing garden filled with native California plants. A few years ago it was just an empty patch of dirt tucked into a corner of the playground at Esperanza Elementary School. Now the plants have grown tall and are competing with one another for space. For students at Esperanza it is an opportunity to observe nature up close. I learned on my recent visit that the garden has been named a hotspot of diversity for the richness of its plants and wildlife.

Principal Brad Rumble

Principal Brad Rumble, who has been key to the creation of the garden and also an avid bird watcher, told me that 80 species of birds have been identified at the school. On a bulletin board inside the school, “Observing Our Natural History”, students compared the two species of hummingbird found in the garden—Anna’s and Allen’s. (In my yard at home we have just Anna's hummingbirds.)

Observing Our Natural History: Hummingbirds

Last week I visited Esperanza for the first time since 2020 and I was amazed to see how much the garden had grown. I did presentations in the library with third and fourth grade students of special science teacher Elizabeth Williams. 

Teacher Elizabeth Williams

Presenting to students in the library.

I always love to see the students’ enthusiasm for nature and was pleased with their good response to my presentation. Before they went back to their classrooms each of them was given one of my books for me to sign. I know it is very special for them to have a book signed by the author. 

With students in the garden.

After my presentations, Mr. Rumble, Mrs. Williams and some of the students took me on a tour of the Habitat. The students at Esperanza have become young naturalists, learning how to identify plants and wildlife in the garden. I was so impressed by the student who spotted a dragonfly perched on one of the plants. I had to look carefully to see it at all, and the dragonfly was so well camouflaged that even in my photograph it is hard to spot. 

A path through the garden leads to a weather station.

There is always something new to see in the garden. I have been visiting Esperanza almost every school year since 2017. (There was a gap during the pandemic.) I look forward to going back next year and seeing how much the garden has grown and changed.

Dragonfly.

Blog posts of my previous visits to Esperanza: August 18, 2017, June 13, 2018, November 21,2018, February 26, 2020 .