With today’s focus on technology both in the classroom and at home, children can easily lose an important connection to the natural world in which they live. A two-acre plot of land beside the Clemson Sandhill Research and Education Center opens May 15 to provide hands-on experiences that can only come through appreciation of nature and interaction with its cycles of life. Birds and butterflies and the plants that support them will enhance science, technology, engineering, art, and math related skills and provide exposure to Vitamin D rays that are so important for growing healthy bodies.
“Teaching children about the natural world should be seen as one of the most important events in their lives,” said the late theologian and scholar Thomas Berry, a North Carolina native.
“We’ve transformed two acres of vacant, sandy soil into nine themed gardens, offering both beauty and education. From play dates to field trips, this space is versatile. Every visitor can enjoy nature and make lasting memories, which brings me great joy,” says Friends of the Children’s Garden board member Kimberly Toogood.
In the early 1990s, Clemson REC opened a children’s garden at the back of the property. Clemson Sandhill REC leaders, community volunteers, master gardeners, and master naturalists maintained the property and invited groups to learn about their role in the environmental health of the planet through gardening. In one year, 1,700 students passed through. The garden was closed in 2015 when Clemson’s mission changed, but the Sandhill REC service offered a two-acre tract for a replacement garden. Today, Kimberly is thrilled that many of the children who enjoyed that garden are now involved as volunteers with the new garden.
Children’s gardens have long been recognized for their value in education. The first school garden in Europe was begun as early as 1819 in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. In 1869 they were prescribed by law in Austria and Sweden, in Belgium since 1873 and in France since 1880. In the early 20th century, 20,000 schools in Austria had gardens; 45,000 in France; 8,000 in Russia; and 2,500 in Sweden.
“The Friends of the Children’s Garden, composed of master gardeners and community volunteers, worked tirelessly through the pandemic, through hot summers and much rain, raised funds, weeded, built interior fences, planted native plants, collected seeds, and pulled off a miracle,” says Val Hutchinson, past president of Friends of the Children’s Garden.
Although the lessons of the garden change with the seasons, what children learn will last a lifetime. “Sandhills Children’s Garden will build a deeper connection between children and the Earth,” says board member and volunteer Harriette Edmonds. A retired art teacher, Harriette is responsible for colorful totem poles, bee hotels, and other pieces that enliven the space, along with a vibrant seasonal array of mammoth sunflowers, zinnias, rosemary, ginger lily, muhly grass, orange marigolds, mullein, oregano, parsley, basil, dill, cypress vine, creeping jenny, pole beans, black-eyed Susans, butterfly bushes, cleome, and other shrubs and trees.
The garden features nine themed areas. The Sensory Garden has separate features such as see and smell; imagine; hear, play, find and touch; a pizza and herb garden; and a sandbox.
Mr. McGregor’s Garden is created around the Beatrix Potter story The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Old MacDonald’s Farm is a child-sized version of a traditional farm with chickens, goats, and other features. The outdoor educational classroom includes desks made by Blythewood High shop students and sunflower chalkboards. Birdhouses were installed by the S.C. Bluebird Society, and plans call for a greenhouse. The Bird Sanctuary, under development, will provide a protected place to encourage bird appreciation, including bird feeders, birdbaths, and bird-friendly plants. The Fit for Fun area allows children to run, climb, slide, jump, and crawl. A Reading Garden is right next door where you can relax under the trees.
The Pollinator & Monarch Gardens are a place to learn about bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other species, with an emphasis on Monarch butterflies. Each kind of butterfly prefers a specific plant to provide food for its young, which are called “host” plants. Monarchs choose the milkweed plant, which has been nearly eradicated in the Southeast, though they also feed on butterfly bushes, cosmos flowers, and lantana. “The Monarch butterfly population, which has dropped by almost 60 percent, will be reviewed for endangered status this year by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,” says Linda Hughes.
A gazebo, located in the center of the garden, and picnic tables will offer visitors a place to relax and enjoy a snack or lunch as well as a gathering place for groups.
Funded through a grant, butterfly benches created by internationally famed sculptor Bob Doster of Backstreet Studio in Lancaster will serve as a focal point where children and their families can relax or pose for keepsake photographs of their visit to the garden. For more than 50 years, Bob has created art ranging from whimsical collectibles to monumental public works of art. As a teaching artist, he has worked with more than 150,000 students of all ages. Dr. Elaine Jeter wrote the grant awarded by the S.C. Arts Commission to fund Bob’s butterfly benches.
A key goal of the Sandhills Children’s Garden, Harriette says, is to inspire a love of nature and a sense of stewardship for the environment through learning about plants, insects, and other aspects of the natural world in a safe and nurturing space. For example, “Children can observe the life cycles of plants, insects, and animals, teaching them science and helping them develop a sense of responsibility and problem-solving,” she says. “Caring for plants requires attention to detail and consistency, and children must learn to anticipate and solve problems, such as pests or weather changes. As they watch their plants grow, children can develop a sense of pride and accomplishment in their hard work. They can also develop an appreciation for the Earth and learn about sustainable practices, such as composting and reducing waste. These gardens help to foster a deeper connection between children and the planet.”
As an added benefit, children get their daily dose of vitamin D, which is essential for strong bones and overall health, by spending time outside in the garden, Debbie Thomas, president of the Friends of the Children’s Garden, says. “We wanted to reconnect families with nature since using technology has replaced playing outside and exploring as a typical childhood activity. I see this garden as an outdoor classroom to teach families about the value of wildlife habitat, the critical role of native plants, and how we can create and restore a healthy, vibrant ecosystem. Our sensory garden for exploring, our educational classroom for learning, the bird sanctuary, and pollinator garden will teach our younger generation more about the beautiful outdoors.”
Gardens can also give children a strong foundation in basic STEAM concepts. Educators can then use gardens to expand on children’s previous knowledge and to reinforce what children are learning in class. Gardening can also expose children to science and other STEAM disciplines at an earlier age, which will increase the likelihood of their studying or working in a STEAM-related field later in life.
Gardens offer fun, educational, stress-reducing, productive, and important environments for positive personal transformation and community enhancement. Mounting evidence shows that physical activity during gardening can lower the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.
Val Hutchinson says, “We care about future generations and want to share our knowledge of plants and nature with the families in our community.”
Editor’s note: The dedication of the garden May 15 is open to the public. The garden will remain open through the summer, and following the official opening this fall, it will offer a bird sanctuary and an educational pavilion where classes and workshops will be held.