specialty gardens: s mi l ctiscreating magical spaces · specialty gardens: s mi l ctiscreating...
TRANSCRIPT
Specialty Gardens: C ti M i l S sCreating Magical Spaces
©2007, Norm Lownds007, Norm Lownds
The 4-H Children’s GardensThe 4 H Children s Gardens
“Th 4 H Child ’ G d i i l“The 4-H Children’s Garden is a magicalplace of learning.”
12-year-old
What is a Magical Space?What is a Magical Space?
• Filled with Curiosity and Wonder• Filled with Curiosity and Wonder
• A physical place (space)• Experiencesp
How do you create magic spaces?How do you create magic spaces?
• Know your audience Know your audience • Think like your audience• Don’t talk down to your audienceDon t talk down to your audience• Meet your audience’s needs• Test spaces on kids – watch what they do• Test spaces on kids – watch what they do
What do you need to know?What do you need to know?
• About kidsAb t d• About gardens
About KidsAbout Kids
Kids are curious and full of wonder• Kids are curious and full of wonder• Kids are concrete thinkers
Kid lik thi th t f ili• Kids like things that are familiar• Kids don’t care about adult “gardening rules”
d d d h d• Kids want and need hands-on• Kids love to be surrounded by plants• Kids experience things
intensely
About KidsAbout Kids
Kid d b li l hi• Kids are amazed by little things• Kids will meet or exceed expectations• Kids like to learn• Kids learn based on what they already know• Rules are made to be tested (broken)• Kids notice the details
NOT the vistas
About GardensAbout Gardens
G d “ l ” d t b b k• Garden “rules” are made to be broken• Gardens come in all shapes and sizes• Gardens appeal to all the sensesGardens appeal to all the senses• Gardens should be hands-on (touched,
smelled, hidden in, picked, …)• Gardens are amazing!• Gardens are FUN!!
It i OK t h d • It is OK to have garden failures
How do you create magic?How do you create magic?
• Start with Curiosity Start with Curiosity • Think like a kid (be a kid)• Think outside the garden bed linesThink outside the garden bed lines• Use Theme Gardens• Create magical programs and activities• Create magical programs and activities• Connect to the 4-H Children’s Garden
Curiosity – The Key!Curiosity The Key!
C i itCuriosityExploration
DiscoveryPleasure
RepetitionMasteryMastery
Think like a kid (be a kid)Think like a kid (be a kid)
• Remember your favorite kid thingsRemember your favorite kid things• Watch kids and listen to them
W d b t thi• Wonder about everything• Remember that kids have 5 senses• Be amazed and excited by little things
Think like a kid (be a kid)Think like a kid (be a kid)• As a kid, you need to feel, smell, walk in, be y
a part of … the garden– Straight paths are to run down
Grass is to walk on and roll in– Grass is to walk on and roll in– Flowers are to smell– Everyone needs a place to hidey p– A maze is to get lost in
• Ask “What would happen if I broke that l ?” t d th ??rule?” … stepped on the grass??
• Focus on the details NOT the vistasNOT the vistas
Involve kidsInvolve kids
• Garden planningGarden planning• Planting
M i t• Maintenance• Activities
Think outside the garden bed lilines
• What is a garden?G d i ll h d i• Gardens come in all shapes and sizes
• All plants “go together”• Show the entire life cycle• Add ‘stuff’ to your gardenAdd stuff to your garden• Make it interactive
Theme Gardens Rule!!Theme Gardens Rule!!• ABC GardenABC Garden• Pizza Garden• Peter Rabbit Herb GardenPeter Rabbit Herb Garden• Cereal Bowl Garden• Teddy Bear and Animals Garden• Teddy Bear and Animals Garden• Crayon Color Garden• Jack and the Giants Garden• Jack and the Giants Garden
4-H Children’s Gardens4 H Children s Gardens• Outdoor 4-H Children’s GardenOutdoor 4 H Children s Garden
– About 2/3 acre– 65 theme areas
• Indoor 4-H Children’s Garden– 1500 square feet1500 square feet– 25 theme areas
Curiosity Classroom• Curiosity Classroom
Magical spacesMagical spaces
ABC GardenABC Garden• AlyssumAlyssum• Basil
• Marigold• Nasturtium• Nasturtium
• Yarrow• Yarrow• Zinnia
Peter Rabbit Herb GardenPeter Rabbit Herb Garden• Beet ‘MacGregor's Beet MacGregor s
Favorite’• Radish ‘French
Breakfast’Breakfast• Rhubarb ‘Valentine’• Mint• Lemon Balm• Tansy
Lavender• Lavender• Chamomile
Cereal Bowl GardenCereal Bowl Garden
Corn for Cornflakes• Corn for Cornflakes• Wheat for Wheaties
R f b d• Rye for bread• Oats for Oatmeal
B k h f • Buckwheat for pancakesS B t f • Sugar Beets for sugar
Crayon Color GardenCrayon Color Garden• Strawberry pinkStrawberry pink• Lavender• GoldenrodGoldenrod• Cornflower• Dianthus pink• Dianthus pink• Pumpkin
Teddy Bear and AnimalsTeddy Bear and Animals• Dandelions Dandelions • Spider plant• Lamb’s earsLamb s ears• Lambs quarters• Snapdragon• Snapdragon• Goldfish plant• Hens and chicks• Hens and chicks
Pizza GardenPizza Garden• Wheat • Tomato• Basil• Oregano• Peppers
O i• Onions• Marigold, “The Cheese”
Jack and the Giants GardenJack and the Giants Garden• Climbing beans Climbing beans
(Scarlet Runner)• Giant sunflowersf• Arundo grass
Indoor 4-H Children’s GardenIndoor 4-H Children s Garden
Around the World Herb GardenAround the World Herb Garden
My Favorite Foods GardenMy Favorite Foods Garden
• Strawberries• Strawberries• Maple tree• PotatoesPotatoes• Tomatoes • Peanuts Peanuts • Chocolate mint• Spaghetti squashSpaghetti squash• Chives• Aguga ‘Chocolate Chip’g g p
Take a Deep BreathTake a Deep Breath
Little lessons from flowersLittle lessons from flowersfor a happier world
Follow Your Nose GardenFollow Your Nose Garden
Michigan GardenMichigan Garden• Sand dunesSand dunes• ‘Big Mac’ bridge• Plank roadPlank road
Harry’s Herbology GardenHarry s Herbology Garden
• Snake plantSnake plant• Sensitive plant• Broom Corn• Petunia• Lupine
Ch l t fl• Chocolate flower• Coleus ‘Dragon’s
Blood’Blood• Privet• Spiral Staircase
Plants – the real magic!Plants the real magic!
Sensitive PlantSensitive Plant
Eyeball PlantEyeball Plant
SnapdragonSnapdragon
Broom CornBroom Corn
Sunflower ‘Teddy Bear’Sunflower Teddy Bear
Cool Kid PlantsCool Kid Plants• Sensitive plantSensitive plant• Eyeball plant• Snapdragonp g• Cherry tomato ‘Matt’s Wild Cherry’• Basil ‘Magical Michael’• Broom corn• Chocolate Mint
S fl ‘T dd B ’• Sunflower ‘Teddy Bear’• Scarlet Runner Bean• Pumpkin ‘Cinderella’• Pumpkin Cinderella
Add stuffAdd stuff…
• Focus on the details• Get them right!
Details details detailsDetails, details, details•
Monet BridgeMonet Bridge
Make it interactiveMake it interactive
Dance ChimesDance Chimes
“Big Mac” BridgeBig Mac Bridge
Educational ProgramsEducational Programs
Planting curiosity,N t i dNurturing wonder,
Growing Understanding
Seeds of ScienceSeeds of Science
• Day-long field trips• Day-long field trips• Multi-day
d b k• Visits separated by 1-2 weeks• Specific between visit experiments, p p
activities, connections
Seeds of ScienceSeeds of Science
Family ProgramsFamily Programs• Dinosaur DayDinosaur Day• Bug Day• Teddy Bear Tea PartyTeddy Bear Tea Party• Around the World Jubilee• Compost Day• Compost Day• Plant Detectives• Harvest Festival• Harvest Festival
Multi-day Summer ProgramsMulti-day Summer Programs
• Stories in the GardenKid C t• Kid Curator
• Garden Chefs
• Camp MonetCamp Monet
On-line ExperiencesOn line Experiences
http://4hgarden msu edu/kidstourhttp://4hgarden.msu.edu/kidstour
Wonder WallWonder Wall
The MagicThe Magic
“We love coming here!”We love coming here!“I love it here.”“I love this place.”“I bringed my mommy.” br nged my mommy.
Magic in the gardenMagic in the garden
“Let me show you this ”Let me show you this.”“Oh, look!!”“C !”“Come on!”“Can I show you this?”“ f d h “I found the
motherlode!”
Sensitive Plant – Magic!Sensitive Plant Magic!
“I lik i ’ h i “I like it’s technique –it looks like it is dead when it closes dead when it closes up – then animals will leave it alone.”leave it alone.
“It looks like grasshopper wings.”g pp g
“It’s called the ‘tickle me’ plant.”p
ABC GardenABC Garden
“I found my name!”“I d h BC’ ”“I do the ABC’s.”
When it’s time to leaveWhen it s time to leave
“I don’t want to leave”“Can I stay here overnight?”y g
When it’s time to leaveWhen it s time to leave
“I can’t leave, I am part of the pizza ”part of the pizza.
Creating magic spacesCreating magic spaces
• Use the information presented hereUse the information presented here• Visit us in person
Visit us on line• Visit us on-line• Incorporate the Wonder Wall into your
gardengarden• Incorporate the PSA into your garden
S d h• Stay connected to the4-H Children’s Gardens
Contact InfoContact Info
Dr Norm LowndsDr. Norm [email protected] ext. 1-3495 7 355 5 9 ext. 349
http://4hgarden.msu.edup ghttp://4hgarden.msu.edu/kidstour
Learn more!Learn more!
National Children and Youth National Children and Youth Gardening Symposium
July 19-21, 2007Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
Magic Garden SpacesMagic Garden Spaces
Look at a gardenTh h hild’ Through a child’s eyesIt’s magic, it’s wonderIt’s full of surprise!