Photo by Heidi Muller
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Why a Children's Garden?
Through its broad mission, The Gardens on Spring Creek will have something of value for virtually everyone, regardless of gender, ethnicity, abilities or age. Children aren't simply small adults; they have unique needs--physically, emotionally, and intellectually. Today's children are also growing up in a different world than 20 or more years ago. As compared with their parents and grandparents, they have:
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- Less direct contact with nature
- Minimal experience with growing plants and food
- Little opportunity for unstructured play
- Limited knowledge of the unique characteristics of their local place
- Poorer nutrition
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Photo by Heidi Muller
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With a theme of Explore! Discover! Grow! our Children's Garden is a fun and educational place to address those needs.Back to Top
What are the design features?
The Children's Garden is not a single garden in the strict sense, but rather an integrated combination of various "child-scaled" theme gardens and garden-like elements for experiential play, gardens planted and maintained by children, a small amphitheater for presentations, and interactive educational exhibits. Although referred to as a "children's" garden, this is a place that is equally enjoyed by adults. Come visit us, so that you can:
- Operate a hand-pump to discharge water from an eight-foot-tall watering can
- Marvel at the only planted-roof picnic shelter in the state of Colorado
- Identify animal tracks on the Grasslands to Glaciers Trail
- Challenge yourself to walk across stepping stones in the pond
- Relax on a comfortable bench in the shade or the sun, while stimulating your senses with thousands of colorful and fragrant flowers
- Participate in gardening classes and activities that will put dirt under your fingernails and a smile on your face
- See how many vegetable and fruit-bearing plants you can identify (and possibly sample some freshly-harvested produce)
- Explore plant-enclosed paths and secret hideouts
- Observe native insects, butterflies, fish and frogs
- Enjoy the peaceful sound of a naturalistic water fall, making you forget you're in the middle of town
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How was it built and who will maintain it?
The vision of our Children's Garden became a reality through many generous grants and donations, totaling nearly $425,000. The following were the primary grantors and donors: Great Outdoors Colorado (Colorado Lottery)
The four local Fort Collins Rotary Clubs
The Bohemian Foundation
An anonymous foundation
Francis Clark
Jean Sutherland
Ed Carroll Motor Company
The Children's Garden was designed by EDAW-an international landscape architecture firm with an office in Fort Collins-in tandem with The Gardens staff and more than one dozen community members representing various interests.
Photo by Heidi Muller
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As a portion of the Gardens on Spring Creek, the Children's Gardens will be maintained primarily through a financial commitment by the City of Fort Collins, supplemented with earned revenue. This financial backing will be leveraged with the extensive use of interested volunteers, C.S.U. interns, youth organizations and private donations, resulting in a very cost-effective, community-building effort.
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