School gardens should come out from the environment in which they are located. There, pupils should spend their free time, but they should be suitable for studying numerous contents related to curricular and extracurricular activities as well. It is extremely important for students to develop positive psychophysical characteristics, encourage the acquisition of new knowledge and skills in a healthy environment. Such approach in learning and the environmental role in education should arouse interest in the natural and create as intimate a connection between students and nature as possible. By reviewing the literature and archives and interviewing elderly residents, data were collected on plant species that were once traditionally grown in gardens in the municipality of Rugvica. The field visit listed the plant species of the school yard, and the literature determined the taxonomic affiliation, life form and origin. Based on the results of the interview and inventory, species for arranging the school environment were proposed, and with the help of the literature, an overview of gardening activities suitable for lower grade children was given. In the area of Rugvica, in the past, people lived from agriculture, and next to the houses there were vegetable gardens and orchards. There were also a variety of ornamental plants in the backyards. In the garden of the elementary school Rugvica, 17 plant families and 28 species were determined. The families with the largest number of species are Pinaceae and Lamiaceae. In the garden there are also interesting details (gazebo, meteorological house, hanging garden). To add content to the garden, vegetable, fruit, spice-medicinal and traditional flower beds have been proposed, and a year-round program of workshops has been designed for which materials could most often be found in the school garden and the surrounding area.