51³Ô¹ÏÍø

McGill.CA / Office of Religious and Spiritual Life / Cultivate Wellness

Gardening at MORSL

Gardening Sessions

two students gardening and smilingAt MORSL’s gardening sessions, we’re growing more than just plants—we’re cultivating meaningful, supportive conversations in a peaceful, welcoming space. Whether you're brand new to gardening or just want a nature break, this is the perfect place to dig in and connect with fellow students. We offer sessions from late April to early October. Each session starts in the MORSL lounge with intros and snacks before we head outside. Feel free to come to any session you can!Ìý

Please RSVP on myInvolvement so we can prep snacks and supplies. Want to join future sessions?Ìý—we’d love to have you! Want to help us schedule upcoming sessions? Please take our current gardening scheduling poll.

gold leaves icon
Upcoming sessions
Icon: golden envelope
Sign up for updatesÌý

Ìý

Calendar
Garden scheduling poll

Ìý

About the GardenÌý

group of people gardeningMORSL's Interfaith Peace Garden, located at 3610 McTavish along the path to the main entrance, is visible evidence of dialogue on campus, care for the earth, and inclusion for all in the spirit of social and environmental sustainability. MORSL’s gardening activities, held from April to October, contribute to enhancing a sense of belonging as well as promoting interfaith and intercultural understanding for students from diverse religious, spiritual, and secular backgrounds through dialogue and cooperative action on campus.Ìý

HistoryÌý

neglected, bare garden plotThe garden started in Spring 2023, when MORSL’s director Carlene Gardner saw an opportunity to create a great community experience with students out of the untended space at the entrance to MORSL’s building. After consulting with the 51³Ô¹ÏÍøGrounds team and receiving support from the Sustainability Office in the form of a Tiny Stream grant, the the MORSL Interfaith Peace Garden was inaugurated in May 2023 – just in time for the Montreal gardening season!Ìý

An avid and skilled gardener herself (no last name pun intended!), Carlene invited student volunteers to come help clean up weeds and debris from the plot while getting to know each other. Each of the sessions brought about more transformations to the space, and generated enriching conversations that built a sense of community around this collective effort. Within the safe space of this interfaith project, students talked about their love of nature, family traditions, dating and marriage customs across cultures and spiritual experiences across faith traditions.ÌýÌý

Over the season, students learned useful skills, gained a greater attunement toward and knowledge of the natural world, reaped the wellness benefits of being outside with their hands in the soil, and enjoyed moments of deep connection and resonance across worldviews.ÌýÌý

Since its inception, the garden project continues to thrive thanks to student volunteers who are eager to connect with the earth and each other. Through planting and ongoing tending of the garden, this project is expected to continue for many years.ÌýÌý

    Tags: 
    Learn and Grow
    Back to top