Brotherly Love: Teen Plants Special Garden

By Susan Barnett

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Thomas Hudson is 16 years old and working his way up to be an Eagle Scout. For his final project, he's restoring a garden at the Larc School in Bellmawr.

"I basically sent emails to everybody in my neighborhood--friends, family, neighbors--and we collected and raised $3,000 for the project," Thomas says.

He drafted volunteers to help with the pruning, digging and drilling.

"It's a sensory garden, and basically, it's not your average garden," Thomas explains.

This garden will not just include plants, but also things to see, smell and hear, because the Larc School students who visit this garden have disabilities.

"If they can't see very well or talk very well, they can hear the wind chimes, and that's kind of the point of the sensory garden," says Thomas.

The finished garden will not only have colorful flowers, but fresh herbs to smell and wind wheels that spin on a breezy day.

Susan Weiner, Executive Director of The Larc School, says, "He really met all of their needs, and in the process, he learned about giving."

"It's just a very good feeling to be able to do that," Thomas agrees.