Do you have memories from childhood that revolve around visits to public gardens? Most of mine are about private gardens tended by my parents and grandparents. But I do remember going to the Philadelphia Flower Show from the time I was very little. The memories are mostly big picture ones - of the warm, sweet smell that greeted you when you descended from the escalator into the great hall, of the polite jostling that took place as you tried to get closer and closer to the exhibits, of the crowds, the colors, the feeling that spring had arrived indoors.
My recent trip to Longwood Gardens was to visit the new children's garden. (Story coming this Friday). The folks there hope that kids will enjoy their experience so much, they'll want to come back to the garden again and again. They're hoping to plant a seed, if you will, rather than teach about specific plants or offer lessons in botany.
Got me to thinking. Kids are like sponges in the garden but seems to me they're mostly interested in seeing, touching and smelling things that are extremely something or other. They love big stuff, and tiny stuff, flowers with a large sweet scent and plants that smell yucky or look weird. I don't remember learning too many specific things - other than this is a rose, this is a tulip - till I got quite a bit older. And I guess that experience is pretty universal, unless your parents happen to be horticulturists or botanists.
So perhaps there's something to the idea behind this new garden. Now I know why there are no plant tags. Because this is a garden to be enjoyed, not studied. Yes, indeed! As you can see from the photo at the beginning of this post, the enjoyment involves a lot of water, packaged very beautifully.
When I was there, little kids were dipping their hands in the fountains and splashing their moms. I got the feeling this would be happening regardless of the artistry of what was holding the water. But the point is... it's all in the garden, not out on a street corner.
Whether this is enough to make them want to come back for more, we'll have to wait and see. Seeds have sprouted, certainly, with less prompting.
