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Children's Garden at the Atlanta Botanical Garden
by Elizabeth Roberts
Mother Goose meets Mother Nature in Atlanta Botanical Garden's whimsical Children's Garden. Its caterpillar maze, bee hive, tree house and soggy bog are sure to cultivate curiosity and an interest in gardening in any child. But here's a secret - this garden is not just for kids, parents will have fun too!
During your visit, you will learn how plants contribute to our well-being in three main areas: the Live, Laugh, and Learn gardens. Families enter the Laugh garden through a giant caterpillar's mouth and experience metamorphosis as they travel through a maze that ends in a butterfly garden. This garden was a hit with my infant Kate, who giggled at all the butterflies.
Kids learn how plants provide the air that we breathe in the Live garden. An Air Factory lets them get inside a plant to see how it works. Families can sit around a tree hollow and hear the tales of Peter Rabbit in the Learn garden. My 4-year-old daughter Madeleine enjoyed exploring Mr. MacGregor's tool shed and watering can.
The children's garden also includes two areas that promote environmental conservation and the everyday uses of plants. Plants Through Time features a dinosaur garden, a sandbox filled with dinosaur and plant fossils, Grandma's Roots, a garden featuring old-fashioned plants and remedies, and the Creek Lodge, an authentic reproduction of a Creek Indian dwelling. My family loved discovering the fossils hidden in the sand. Don't be afraid to dig in - stroller parking and water to wash off sandy feet are nearby.
In the Healthy Earth, Healthy You area, children learn about three ecosystems: the Beehive Meadow, the Soggy Bog and the Bullfrog pond. My children were fascinated by the bog's carnivorous Venus fly traps and pitcher plants. Another kid favorite was the tree house nestled between the Grandmother and Grandfather Oaks. Kids get a bird's eye-view of the garden through its telescopes.
Address: 1345 Piedmont Ave. N.E., Atlanta.
Open: Tues-Sun: 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Free admission, Thursdays 3 -7 p.m.
Price: Adults, $7; students $4; children under 3, free.
For More Information: (404) 876-5859 or www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org
Restrooms: Restrooms are clean, conveniently located and equipped with a changing table.
Age Recommendation: The garden is ideal for all ages from infants to older grandparents.
Strollers: Trails throughout the garden are mostly paved and stroller- and wheelchair-accessible.
Final Word: No matter the season, fun is always in bloom with the garden's many interactive activities.
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