The Children's garden was developed several years ago so children could have a place of their own to explore, learn and play. Packed into many small spaces, there are child size features aimed to encourage lots of imagination!

When you step into the Children’s garden you are greeted by a winding maze filled with colorful, as well as, sensory stimulating plants and flowers.  Then, you may be lead to the ‘touch’ garden where children can touch and feel many different plants - learning how different plants can affect your senses. Very close by is the ‘smell’ garden that will help them become more aware of all the wonderful different smells of plants and why they smell that way. In the back corner is our worm world where the kids can see first hand how worms make their homes, live in the soil and provide compost for the garden.

Everyone loves the parade of colorful painted birdhouses that line one side of then fence.  Also along this fence are native Virginia wildflowers. Children are amazed that Virginia so many beautiful native wildflowers.  Across the garden there is a charming vine house - a special house for them to hide and play (not quite big enough for adults). Many children enjoy our hopscotch stones in front of the vine house. 

A new weather board in the back corner helps children recognize the importance of weather in the garden; they are able to track rainfall, temperatures and wind. Along the fence on this side of the garden is the Alphabet garden, greeting children with colorful letters and corresponding plants they can follow. Last but not least are the miniature Fairy garden and Dino Land under the peach tree. The Fairy garden is a small village of houses and other items children can play with or if they prefer dinosaurs, they can move to the Dino area and hide dinosaurs among the plants.

Fairy Garden	Picnic Table through Pear Tree

Children's Garden Plant List 2008

For more about children's gardens and gardening with children see:

http://humeseeds.com/kids.htm 

http://geocities.com/EnchantedForest/Glade/3313/index.html

http://kidsgardening.com