A hot day at the end of summer seemed like an opportunity to fit in one last picnic lunch before the weather begins to turn, and so I found myself this afternoon at the Ithaca Children’s Garden. Likely you’ve seen the colorful sign at the entrance of Ithaca Children’s Garden on your way out of town via Route 89 but may have not stopped to visit. Next time you have a moment or if you have a child in tow, stop in to take a peek at this unique garden.
Built for children with the goal of introducing them to the outdoors, nature, and gardening and to the concepts of permaculture and sustainability, this park offers a fun array of activities, programs, and sights to explore. At one end of this park there is a huge mound of earth sculpted into a giant turtle. Artfully arranged stones create the turtle’s back and invite little ones to scramble over the turtle mound. At the other end of the park a mud pit, entitled “The Anarchy Zone,” offers carte-blanche to rambunctious kids to get crazy and messy. And in between lies a troll house, a tadpole pond, a maze, a sandpit, a rain garden (for water-loving plants), and various paths. A large beautiful tree in the center of the park offers shade and seating for organized storytelling sessions.
There is an edible garden where visitors are invited to sample the vegetables and herbs and help water the plants. Next to the garden there is an outdoor kitchen where workshops are held for kids to make their own pizzas, teas, or salads using the produce from the garden. A compost and a greenhouse, ingeniously made from recycled plastic soda bottles, also sit next to the edible garden and introduce kids to the full cycle of growing, gardening, and composting.
One of the sweetest and most moving parts of the Children’s Garden is the Bulb Labyrinth Memorial Garden which was planted to honor local babies and children who have passed away. Lushly filled with perennial bulbs, it becomes a beautiful sight to see in spring when it is in full bloom. Nearby a wildflower garden attracts bugs and nets and jars are available for children to capture and study the flying and creepy-crawling inhabitants of the wildflower garden. Future plans for the park include a edible forest where children can learn about foraging.
If you are interested in becoming involved, the Ithaca Children’s Garden is always looking for volunteers to help with gardening, maintenance, and running its numerous events and programs. The Garden works in partnership with the Cornell Cooperative Extension. It is located just south of Cass Park on Route 89 on the Cayuga Inlet and is open from sunrise to sunset every day. Pack a picnic, grab a kid and stop by this delightful garden and start exploring.