Children’s Garden reopens at the Atlanta Botanical Garden

By Grace Huseth

This month, a special garden just for childhood exploration and enjoyment will reemerge at the Atlanta Botanical Garden just in time for summer picnics and playdates.

The improved children’s garden is named after longtime Atlanta Botanical Garden supporter Lou Glenn, who was instrumental in forging the partnership with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta for developing the original garden in 1999. Now redesigned by Deneen Powell Atelier, the Lou Glenn Children’s Garden will still have many favorites from past years, like the friendly gnomes, with some opportunities for handson play and active outdoor play.

“The flower growth chart, where so many families have marked their children’s growth, will remain. Honeybees will return as well. The pond will be virtually unchanged, though the carnivorous plant bog will be larger,” said Tracy McClendon, vice president of programs.

The popular splash pad received a makeover to fit the whole family. The new splash pad is nearly twice the size of the former splash area, with lots of room for parents and caregivers to sit. In addition to the expanded splash area, a new treehouse features a climbing net, climbing wall, slide and some fun bridges for a tiptoe through the treetops.

The Atlanta Botanical Garden encourages children to dig in the dirt, learning about nature with hands-on experiences. To continue this effort, the children’s garden will have a water “painting” wall, a building area and musical instruments to play. The garden is also rolling out new nature play activities and a new position, an educational horticulturist, to help facilitate these programs.

Visiting the new children’s garden and testing out planting experiments can get children thinking green, but senior horticulturist Moe Hemmings encourages parents to think creatively when playing outdoors.

Hemmings said, “Get them outside watering, planting transplants and picking flowers or finding leaves and using them to make bookmarks or cards.”

Meanwhile, Danny Flanders, public relations and marketing manager, said the Atlanta Botanical Garden site in Gainesville is planning to launch construction soon on a children’s garden, but in the meantime families can enjoy the Train Garden complete with model trains and miniature foliage. For more information, visit atlantabg.org

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