Educational Greenhouses

See how greenhouse gardening can support STEM education, sustainability studies, nutrition programs, and experiential learning through year-round food production. These articles highlight innovative educational greenhouse projects, teaching strategies, and real-world examples of students learning about plants, ecosystems, and food systems inside a living classroom. See how Growing Dome greenhouses help educators inspire curiosity, environmental stewardship, and practical growing skills.

Teachers and students learning from an educator about plants in a greenhouse
Growing Dome greenhouse beside a brick building, with snow on the ground and a car in the foreground

Growing Spaces Featured on Dakota News Now

January 17, 2026

Wagner High School in South Dakota turned a growing dome into an outdoor classroom that's half science lab, half garden.

Read Article
Seven young kids trying fresh beet root in a Growing Dome smiling for the camera

Hands-On Discovery in the SOIL Lab Growing Dome

May 27, 2025

Students explore the SOIL Lab’s Growing Dome, tasting plants, learning about ecosystems, and experiencing hands-on lessons in a living outdoor classroom.

Read Article
IMG_8714

Innovative Aquaponics at SFCC: Transformative Learning in a 26’ Dome

September 6, 2024

At Santa Fe Community College a 26’ Growing Dome greenhouse is an integral part of their course offerings. This state-of-the-art facility isn’t just a greenhouse; it’s a living laboratory powered by aquaponics, where students dive deep into the future of agriculture and environmental stewardship. Aquaponics in a Growing Dome The Growing Dome greenhouse creates a…

Read Article
CitySprouts

Urban Agriculture Takes Root in Omaha with City Sprouts

May 1, 2024

When you envision Omaha, Nebraska you might think of Lewis and Clark or world-renowned steaks. It might surprise you with its growing urban agriculture movement and the world’s largest indoor desert housed within the world’s largest glazed geodesic dome. That is not the only dome in Omaha, however. Tucked into a residential neighborhood on an…

Read Article
DSC09877

Geothermal Greenhouse Partnership: Thriving Community Greenhouses with Sustainable Energy

January 7, 2023

Today the community venture known as The Geothermal Greenhouse Partnership, Inc, consists of three 42’ Growing Dome greenhouses run on geothermal power, a native plants garden, a rotary club garden, and an amphitheater along the San Juan Riverwalk. The greenhouses use geothermal energy from nearby natural hot springs. This renewable energy source helps to maintain a consistent temperature within the greenhouse, allowing for the growth of a variety of plants year-round in USDA hardiness zone 5a.

Read Article
Eliadas-42-Geodesic-Dome-Greenhouse-Classroom-in-Asheville-NC-1

Eliada Homes Helping Children Succeed

March 8, 2022

In 2017, they took their first step towards bringing farming back to their community by building a 42' Growing Dome Greenhouse. The Dome provides food for the cafeteria, attracts many new people, and acts as classroom space for the campus farm program. Since then, the Growing Dome has been referred to as the beacon on the hillside.

Read Article
Mines Tiny Greenhouse 2021

Colorado School of Mines Dome Greenhouse

November 8, 2021

Every year the seniors at the Colorado School of Mines participate in a Capstone Design Project. In the fall of 2020, Marla, Christine, Hannah, Juliana, Andrea, Micah, and Zoe took on the Mines Greenhouse Capstone project. They were met with the challenge to establish a “campus greenhouse that will supply local organic produce to Mines students and Mines Market. The team rose to the challenge raising over $7,000 for the project and splitting the solution into two parts. The first part is raised outdoor garden beds that serve as a community garden space where students can rent plots and grow food. The second part is a 22’ Growing Dome better known by students as “Mines Tiny Greenhouse.”

Read Article
DSC09100

Urban Greenhouse Gardening in Golden, Colorado

February 1, 2021

Malik is originally from Iowa where he graduated from the University of Iowa with a Bachelor's in Enterprise Leadership and a Psychology minor. His passion for gardening and growing food flourished during his time in the Grow: Johnson County apprentice program. It was clear after spending just a short period of time with Malik that he is passionate and dedicated to educating others about the importance of growing your own food.

Read Article
Gardener holding ripe tomatoes outside the open door of a Growing Dome greenhouse

Sustainable Greenhouse

July 30, 2020

Michael and Susan are both educators committed to making the world a better place whenever they can. In June of 2013, they purchased an 18' Growing Dome. Their dream was to create a sustainable greenhouse that balances natural and man-made environments while growing food year-round.

Read Article
snow covered greenhouse with a trailer parked next to it under a colorful cloudy sky

Greenhouse Farming in Golden, CO

March 1, 2020

Growing Spaces is pleased to announce a partnership with GoFarm, Community Supported Agriculture, in Golden, CO. Growing Spaces has donated the use of a 26' Growing Dome Greenhouse for GoFarm's Farmer Incubator Program. The construction of the greenhouse was finished in August 2019 by a wonderful group of local volunteers, and the dome is being farmed by GoFarm Incubator apprentice Shannon Harker. Shannon will gain valuable experience with greenhouse farming and the City of Golden will gain a new, hyper-local food source. The greenhouse uses sustainable and renewable energy technologies and helps extend the short Colorado growing season and provide fresh produce for the community year-round.

Read Article
Lacome Header Photo

Geodome Greenhouse in Canada

July 29, 2019

The construction of their geodome greenhouse was a school-wide effort with students contributing from all grades. It took them three weeks to build the structure.

Read Article
CaptureFish

Milk and Honey Farm Part 2: Aquaponics in a Growing Dome Greenhouse

May 2, 2019

Butch Weaver discussed the custom aquaponics system in his Colorado Community Greenhouse

Read Article
Farmer standing by a garden fence with a Growing Dome greenhouse in the background

Milk and Honey Farm: Living Values, Creating Community, and Awakening Minds

April 27, 2019

Located on the 10-acre campus of the Jewish Community Center in Boulder, Colorado, the Milk and Honey Farm is a shining example of building a more resilient community through local organic farming.

Read Article
leadville c42

Cloud City Farm: Growing the Impossible at 10,000 Feet

September 6, 2018

Cloud City Farm: From Superfund Site to Community Gardens, Thriving High Altitude Farm and Year-Round Growing Dome Greenhouse With only 28 frost free days a year, and living 10,000 feet above sea level, they are growing what at first might seem impossible. Cloud City Conservation Center (C4) Cloud City Conservation Center (C4)  is a non-profit 501(c)3…

Read Article
Pine River 4

Pine River Garden Club: Growing Gardeners

July 19, 2018

Growing Gardeners and a Local Foodshed with a Growing Dome® at the Pine River Community Garden Instead of garlic from China and avocados from Mexico, the Pine River Garden Club in Bayfield, Colorado, cultivates their own local foodshed, grows gardeners and teaches how to harvest what you thought wouldn’t grow here. Pine River Garden Club…

Read Article
Ribbon-cutting ceremony outside a Growing Dome greenhouse at the Mary Nash Beaupre Greenhouse

The Boys and Girls Clubs and the YMCA of Greater Waterville, Maine open new 42-foot Growing Dome Greenhouse

June 4, 2018

The Grand opening of the Mary Nash Beaupre Greenhouse at the Alfond Youth Center was a welcome sight to many children in the Waterville, Maine area. It is wheelchair accessible and features both aquaponics and hydroponics systems. It will provide fresh produce and herbs to the Kids’ Kitchen and Weekend Backpack programs year-round, and will…

Read Article
Maine_2017

Inspiring and Educating People’s Lives Around the Globe

September 20, 2017

Featured Growing Dome Greenhouses from Maine to California

Read Article
Annie's Pond a painted above grown pond in a greenhouse at littleton academy

Littleton Academy and Annie’s Pond

October 1, 2015

In 2014, the fine folks at Littleton Academy, in Littleton, CO, were awarded the Growing Spaces In-Kind Grant Award. The mission of their project, in their own words: “to create an environmentally efficient and sustainable greenhouse that can be funded after inception by the revenue generated from the selling of seeds, flowers for Mother’s Day, organic…

Read Article
Sept-2012-Mini-University-(4)

Growing Spaces 2015 Grant Award Announcement

May 18, 2015

Growing Spaces is proud to announce this year’s grant recipients. We had several applicants this season, which made the decision quite difficult. By weighing several different factors, such as the quality and details provided in the application, we arrived at a conclusion. We also considered the number of people that would be affected by the…

Read Article
Nizhoni Elementary email

The National Environmental Education Foundation Partners with Growing Spaces

May 18, 2015

Nizhoni Elementary School in New Mexico used a Growing Dome Greenhouse to develop a Learning Lab

Read Article
manchester-college-community-growing-dome-2

Community Greenhouse in Manchester, UK Makes Real Food

March 30, 2015

Here at Growing Spaces we often talk about how we have Growing Dome Greenhouses at over 100 schools around the world. Our founder, Udgar Parsons, grew up in England and has spent the later part of his life in the US. His multi-national background makes him naturally excited to now own an international company. When…

Read Article
Volunteers assembling a Growing Dome greenhouse frame on a prepared gravel site

Growing Spaces Grant Winner Eva’s Village Gets Growing

November 20, 2014

We are very excited to announce the completion of the 26′ Growing Dome for the 2014 Growing Spaces Third Place Grant Winner – Eva’s Village. The innovative homeless shelter greenhouse is located next door to Eva’s Village at Wayne Auto Spa owned by Rob Burke. The new indoor garden will produce food for the teaching…

Read Article
Six young gardeners posing together among plants inside a Growing Dome greenhouse

From Brownies to Broccoli in the Greenhouse

April 14, 2014

On March 25, 2014, in Durango, CO, a group of dynamic young women from the Telluride Middle School presented their service learning project as part of the Destination ImagiNation Project Outreach Challenge. The team, dubbed “Telluride Grow Dome Girls”, was tasked with identifying, designing and implementing a project that addressed a real community need. They…

Read Article
FreemanSchool2013web-777×1024

Freeman Public School Teacher Puts Purpose to FFA Studies

September 18, 2013

Freeman Public School FFA program now has a Growing Dome. Introverts are typically viewed as unlikely agents of change, and it's so wonderful when that stereotype is blown out of the water by someone like Tony Jensen of Freeman Public School. In this article that outlines the leadership role he took on to bring his students, school and school district along with building a 33 ft. Growing Dome, Tony says, "I am not one to stand up and talk to a big crowd." That didn't stop him from leading his community to raising $30,000 for the project. The creativity of the students and their teacher has made this endeavor beyond an educational mission. They are growing food with a purpose at Freeman Public School. The produce will be incorporated into their school lunches at Freeman Public School as well as go to their local Food Bank.

Read Article
Edible Schoolyard Project Logo

Edible Schoolyard Project: Lesson Plans, Fundraising and More!

May 31, 2013

We are so impressed and amazed to see how the school garden concept is infusing rural and urban communities across the country. The next generation honestly has so many opportunities to connect back with their food and the land. It’s also stunning how technology has quickened the pace of this movement far beyond what anyone…

Read Article
Rows of chairs arranged on a lawn in front of a Growing Dome greenhouse

October’s Dome of the Month – Educating the Young Ones

October 16, 2012

So many youth do not have access to education about WHERE their food comes from and we support and uphold the movement to change that however we can. This month we would like to honor Mini University in Ohio for their dedication to the mission of gifting pre-school age children with the experience of growing…

Read Article
Volunteers assembling a Growing Dome greenhouse frame beside a school building

Community Rallies Around Jay Middle School in Maine

June 15, 2010

By Bobbie Hanstein • Jun 13th, 2010 On Saturday, about 100 or so volunteers helped assemble a geodesic Growing Dome Greenhouse at Jay Middle School in Maine. The design and grant funding for the geodesic dome greenhouse at Jay Middle School is thanks to two 14-year-old students. The actual construction of the 22-foot-radius wood and…

Read Article
Scouts and adult leaders standing together beside a greenhouse

Girl Scout Troops Build Greenhouse

May 12, 2010

Our Pagosa Springs Colorado local Girl Scout Troops are amazing!! And so handy too! These young girls (7 & 8 years old) built the entire 12′ Growing Dome structure in just two short days with the help of Udgar Parsons, Tom McCollough, and Ed Simpson. The girls will be planting vegetables in the Dome once the…

Read Article