Children's Garden

Parents and children share the pleasure of Children’s Garden. Enter through a mulberry arch and find a perfect place to play hide-and-seek. Here, kids of all ages can play games, make music, or captain a boat. Enjoy a snack at the picnic table and find ideas to take home.

mulberry arch entrance to garden
Alice in Wonderland statue

Tour

The Children’s Garden is a place where both children and parents can delight in exploring the natural world. We hope to provide ideas for creating gardening fun in your own yard and community.

Enter the garden from one side under a weeping mulberry tree---a perfect place for a game of hide and seek. As you walk down the yellow brick road, you can begin a game of hopscotch.

In the summer, you can walk into the “house of sunflowers.” Be sure to tell our curious stone turtle in there, “Hello!” Outside near the fence, can you find the mason bee hotel?

Across the little road there is a lending library where you can exchange a book or sit on the grass to read. Near the library box is a sun-warmed birdbath. In the nearby tree hang bird feeders. Can you find them? If you are very still, you may see birds eating there.

As you go further into the garden, you will see a boat which you can sail yourself. A little further on is a rock-bound reflection pool. Can you see your face?

To the left is a checkerboard with giant checkers, and a board that tells you how to play a game. A sandbox near the checkerboard sits next to Alice in Wonderland, the Red Queen, and the Mad Hatter. Come and play. Enjoy a snack at the big red picnic table near the pine tree or under the apple tree near Alice.

Have fun, and come again soon.

sunflowers
lending library

Children's Garden Plant List

#Botanical NameCultivarCommon NameTreeNative
1Abelia grandiflora'Kaleidoscope'abelia
2Acanthus mollisbears breeches
3Alcea roseahollyhock
4Allium sativum L.garlic
5AquilegiacolumbineN
6Campsis x tagliabuana'Madam Galen'trumpet vine
7Carex buchananiibronze sedge grass
8Centranthus ruberred valerian, Jupiter’s beard
9Chamaenerion angustifoliumfireweed
10Crocosmia'Lucifer'
11Clematis viticella'Ernest Markham'clematis
12Clethrasweet pepper bush
13Cornus sericea'Flaviramea'red twig dogwood
14Dahlia'Take Off'dahlia
15Dahlia'Chilsons Pride'dahlia
16Dicentra formosawestern bleeding heart, Pacific bleeding heartN
17Digitalis purpureafoxglove
18Helianthus annuussunflower
19Heucheracoral bells
20Hosta'Abby'hosta
21Hydrangea macrophylla'Venice Raven'hydrangea
22Hylotelephium spectabile'Autumn Joy'stonecrop
23HypericumSt. John’s wort
24Iris ensataJapanese iris
25LeucanthemumShasta daisy
26Lonicera heckrotti'Goldflame'honeysuckle
27Malus domestica'Liberty'apple
28Morus alba'Pendula'weeping mulberryT
29Myosotisforget-me-not
30Nandina domestica'Gulfstream'heavenly bamboo
31Osmanthus'Burkwood'osmanthusT
32Papaver cambricumWelsh poppy
33Persicaria microcephalypersicaria
34Phormium cookianummountain flax
35Physalis alkekengiChinese lantern
36Pinus contortashore pineTN
37Polystichum munitumwestern sword fernN
38Primulaprimrose
39Rhodiola roseagoldenroot
40Rosa nutkanaNootka roseN
41Sisyrinchium bellum'Quaint & Queer'blue-eyed grass
42Spiraea japonica'Magic Carpet'Japanese spirea
43Tellima grandiflorafringe cup
44Thuja occidentalisAnna's magic ball arborvitae
45Verbesinacrownbeard
46Vitas labrusca'Himrod'grape
47Vitas labrusca'Canadice'grape
48Iris ensata'Pink Dimity'Japanese water iris
49Juncus effususfield rushN
50Elymus mollisAmerican dune grassN
51Juncus ensifoliusdagger rushN
52Typha latifoliacattail, reedmaceN