7/2/2011 - 8/5/2011: 1:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Dig, Plant, Grow! Sweet and Stinky

Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden

Children and families learn about plants and the natural world through hands-on gardening at this one-and-a-half acre site. Each afternoon children—with help from their parents, volunteers, and staff—are encouraged to dig, weed, compost, plant, tend, and harvest in garden plots. These ongoing gardening activities are complemented by a changing roster of programs that encourage children to explore seasonal garden-related themes.

The Family Garden offers whimsical topiaries, a pond teeming with life, a flourishing meadow, rows of planting beds, two open-air pavilions for relief from sun and rain, and lively display gardens featuring an array of plants, including heirloom varieties of tomatoes, aromatic herbs, and colorful vegetables.

This month's theme: Sweet and Stinky
Aromatic alliums such as onions and garlic, and herbs such as basil and oregano love the summer heat. Follow the “sweet and stinky” smells to the Family Garden to discover these culinary champions. Savor the scents and tickle your taste buds at our cooking demonstrations. Green your thumb by potting up an herb to take care of at home.