The Wonder of Wildflowers: A Garden Where Curiosity Takes Root
When Stacey Matrazzo (Executive Director at Florida Wildflower Foundation) and Kody Smith (CEO at Dix.Hite and Florida Wildflower Foundation Board Member) first visited Innovation Montessori Ocoee, it was in support of what began as a native wildflower planting through the Florida Wildflower Foundation’s Urban Corridors Initiative.
Once on site, they quickly realized the two school buildings were not well connected. That moment revealed an opportunity to create something more meaningful in between. A garden not just to observe, but to feel. A space where students could gather, connect, and experience the land together. They were excited to help bring the PEACE Legacy Garden to life.
At Innovation Montessori Ocoee, a tuition-free public charter school serving over 1,000 students, learning does not just happen inside walls. Rooted in a vision that began with a small group of parents in 2011, the school has grown into a thriving community centered on child-led discovery, curiosity, and connection to the natural world. Maria Montessori believed that children learn best through hands-on experience and that they can “feel the heartbeat of the planet.” This garden became a way to bring that belief to life.
It started with a sketch.
That sketch sparked connections.
Those connections became collaborators.
At the same time, James Bellamy with Belgard had long envisioned a hands-on, demonstration-style CEU course. With support from Hailey Holder (Dix.Hite team member and ASLA FL Orlando Chair) and Johan Bueno (Dix.Hite team member and ASLA FL President Elect), that vision came to life as part of an Orlando Section of ASLA event. Paired with the ethos of the school and the opportunity to implement a permeable paving system that supports both environmental health and education, this felt like the right opportunity.
Belgard donated the pavers and brought Graham Duthie and UCC Group to the project for installation. Their team was thoughtful and collaborative throughout the process, working carefully within the boundaries and values set forth by the school.
Leading the visionary efforts, Marissa Caravelis (Director of People and Organizational Strategy at Dix.Hite and Vice President of Innovation Montessori Ocoee Board of Directors) rallied support and secured additional funding to carry the project across the finish line. On installation day, the school community truly showed up, with parents volunteering their time and students present not just as observers, but as participants in something meaningful.
The result is a garden shaped by many hands and a shared purpose:
Florida Wildflower Foundation sourced donated native plants
Belgard donated permeable pavers and brought UCC Group in to install them
Orlando Section of ASLA FL hosted a hands-on educational event demonstrating the permeable paving system
The Dix.Hite team led design and coordination, and rolled up their sleeves to support planting and hand-built custom benches and threshold fences
Innovation Montessori Ocoee fundraised to fully bring the project to life
What was created is more than a garden. It is a living classroom.
A place where students can observe pollinators, study native ecosystems, and develop a deeper understanding of their role in the world around them. A place that nurtures curiosity, creativity, and imagination, not through instruction alone, but through experience.
The PEACE Legacy Garden reflects the ethos of Innovation Montessori Ocoee:
Of the land.
For the kids.
For the better.
Dix.Hite is grateful to collaborate with partners who believe, as we do, in designing spaces that truly serve life and help shape the next generation of thoughtful, connected stewards of our world.
