Fall

Fall is one of the best times to visit the Garden. Our perennial borders in the Children's Garden, and above the Hayden Conference Center are outstanding, not to mention the Butterfly Garden (just beyond the Children's Garden).

Lots of flower visitors --butterflies, flower flies, bumblebees, honeybees, carpenter bees, sweat bees, wasps, etc. -- check them out!

Children's gardens

We have a wonderful (developing) Children's Garden.

It's been a staff-driven, bottom-up sort of project, supported by generous donations from local garden clubs and our Foothills Master Gardeners, in addition to individual gifts.

We're fortunate to have the work of a gifted gardener, Ginny Steadman, transform the basic plan and suggested ideas into a much more whimsical and engaging space, thanks to support from Sprouting Wings, SCBG Children's Garden, and SCBG Education Programs.

But this support is still shoestring compared to what would be need to truly transform this area (originally shop and support greenhouse, turf sheds, research areas, etc.)  The accounts listed above are open for public contributions, so if you're interested, we'd welcome your support.

Last summer,  I was able to visit a delightful Children's Garden at Phipp's Conservatory.  It was great fun, and on the perfect scale for their space.

Children's Garden

If you haven't visited the Children's Garden lately, you've missed something special.

Magic happens here.

In the Peter Rabbit Garden and the Ethnobotany Garden, flowers and foliage create spectacular views and vignettes, with interesting plants and diversity of color and form.


Ethnobotany Garden - Oct. 2009

The plants have been chosen with a purpose; they have stories -- of their uses, their scents, of their medicinal qualities, etc.

The morning light was lovely, and even though I didn't catch it at its peak (I had to run home and get my camera), it still reflects on how spectacular the Ethnobotany Garden has become, under the stewardship of Ginny Steadman, our Children's Garden manager.

And how inviting is the Peter Rabbit Garden, to be sure?

It's filled with exuberant flowers and welcomes children and adults alike.

We saw probably one of the last monarchs of the season there today, nectaring on the zinnias, planted by Sprouting Wings kids and adults, and self-seeded, too!