Photo Gallery: Ashley Ridge's Swamp Fresh Garden

Six weeks ago, the green-topped mounds and neat rows were just weeds. Now, with the help of  teachers, the plot of land next to the greenhouse at Ashley Ridge is transforming into the Swamp Fresh Garden. 

On Wednesday and Thursday, Fort Dorchester High's building and construction class helped build a tool shed for the garden.

Ashley Ridge life skills program teacher Irene Mazell, Athletic Director Robert Behr, science teacher Rebecca Jackson, student volunteer Gage Hosley and others have all worked to reclaim the greenhouse and surrounding process, after the greenhouse was no longer in use. 

"Our program asked if we could use it," Mazell said. Mazell said Behr and Gage have both worked hard to get business donations and bring the project to fruition. "It's a collaborative effort." 

The life skills program, science classes and more will have use of the garden once it's complete. While vegetation is sprouting up in surrounding plots, the greenhouse has not been put into use yet. 

Gage, a junior, said volunteering to help bring gardening to students was a natural fit for him. 

"I do a lot of farming when I'm not in school," Gage said. "I want to get young people introduced to farming." 

Gage was introduced to farming at a young age.

"I met an old man at a store one day. He needed help planting his fields," Gage said. "It's just seeing the plant start from that ... to stuff you can put in the kitchen and eat."

Gage also asked his father, who's in construction, to help with bringing more than $3,000 worth of dirt to the plots — gathered from a West Ashley subdivision and transported by a Dorchester County dump truck.