The flourishing garden at Serramonte Therapeutic Day School (TDS) is an important aspect of our therapeutic program. Students enjoy visiting during breaks and lunch, hanging out, feeding the chickens, visiting with our cats or just wandering around to see, smell and touch the plants and flowers. The space provides the opportunity for students to learn about the physical aspects of gardening, but also allows them to experience firsthand the subtle but deep metaphors for psychological and emotional growth and healing that nature provides.

Having started small, the garden has evolved over fifteen years into an area larger than a football field.  It’s blessed with frequent fog in the mornings, keeping things lush and green.  One of the unique aspects of this garden is the large percentage of plants and trees that are natives, requiring little to no water even during the dry months.  The garden is also home to five chickens (raised from day-old chicks in our dayroom), two very sweet cats, about eight bee-hives and an abundance of bugs and birds that thrive in our oasis in the midst of Daly City. 

Nurturing the garden is a real learning experience for our students. Most of the flowers and veggies are grown from seed, either propagated in our greenhouse or planted directly in the soil.  Students have the opportunity to seek out and find plants that they like and enjoy the task of finding a home for their plants to take root and grow.  

The TDS Garden is located at 840 Campus Drive in Daly City, right next to the Serramonte High School site at 699 Serramonte Blvd.