Kedron Elementary School's courtyard is fit for a monarch or a mockingbird.

Dubbed King Arthur's Court, the 230-foot by 30-foot walled, outdoor space is being transformed into a low maintenance wildlife habitat, where royal students can learn about flora and fauna native to Peachtree City.

Heading up the courtyard committee is Denise Pabst, who has successfully raised money through fund-raising projects and secured a $500 Georgia Wildlife Federation Outdoor Classroom grant for the project. Work is continuing this week on planting and mulching the area.

Today, the posts will be set for a 720-sq. ft. arbor to cover the courtyard's benches by Kedron parent and volunteer Chandler Ray. A drip irrigation system is scheduled to be installed Monday by Southside Irrigation. "We want to get as much done by then as possible," Pabst said.

Aptly named "Caterpillar Corner," "Monarch Meadow," "Hummingbird Pond," and "Turtle Bay," these habitat areas will be user- and child-friendly. "There will be several turtle stations placed in the pond to provide them with a smooth perch," Pabst noted. A lizard habitat was built by Brownie Troop 212, led by Jenny Villard. The stacked rocks will serve as a place to sunbathe and slither for the reptiles.

Landscape plans for the courtyard sanctuary were drawn by Jamie Boulton of Jamie's Fine Design. Suggested plants for the "Sower's Circle" are easy annuals like sunflowers, beans to be trained into a tent shape, cosmos, zinnias and nasturtiums in spring, and larkspur or bachelor's buttons with Shirley poppy for the fall.

Before the courtyard committee could develop its planting and habitat plan, it first had to rid the area of the existing Bermuda grass, till the soil and add amendments. "It was a very labor-intensive working weekend," Pabst said, recalling time it took to bring the habitat up to its current status. As of Friday, the committee was awaiting a truckload of mulch from Hyponex.

Ultimately, Pabst believes the project will benefit students, the faculty, community and environment significantly.

"Bringing the classroom outdoors gives the children a more natural environment with which to learn, and creates a sense of awareness. The teachers benefit by having a living, natural teaching ground for science objectives," she explained.