After years of planning The Quad City Botanical Center is getting ready to open phase one of their Children’s Garden project. The project is being developed on the lot directly west of the existing building. The first phase includes an entry plaza, a river way and delta designed to provide fun and experiential learning about plants, water, and river ways.
The garden is a whimsical and playful interpretation of nature. Phase one includes the Entry Plaza, the gateway opens into a world of “fours” – underfoot is the human sundial, with the four seasons, and the four directions, the four way tests, factors of four, games of four, and flowers of four! This area is where the adventure begins. The Entry Plaza leads to the Delta and River. This child size version of the Mississippi River, with a meandering shallow stream provides the opportunity for children to interact with water, with people, and with the environment. Surrounded by lush and robust gardens, and the intrigue of water play, children will be carried away on their imaginations.
Playing in the Children’s Garden river exhibit will help children experiment with cause and effect, develop motor skills, engage in socialization and group play, and heighten the senses of sight, smell, hearing and touch. Children will interact in a many ways – they may play independently or together with other children or parents.
They will also learn on docent-led educational tours and through docent-led activities. The children will be allowed access to the water where they may alter the course of the river’s flow, interact with spray creatures, float objects downstream, dam the river with stones and sticks and experience the current and water’s movement.
Garden beds surrounding the waterway and entry plaza will be planted with a wide variety of showy flowering perennials, ornamental grasses, knock out roses, native prairie plants, trees, shrubs and colorful annuals. The river has been carefully designed to be safe and accessible; it will appeal to children, but the activities encourage intergenerational play, so the families and care-givers of the children may also become involved in the activity.
Join the botanical center on May 14, 2014 at 4:00pm For the ribbon cutting ceremony and soft opening!
The ribbon cutting is free for the public!
Then Stay for the festivities on May 14 as the Rock Island Rotary hosts a Centennial Celebration!
5:00-6:00p.m. will be a Social Hour with Cocktails and d’oeuvres and special music by Ellis Kell
at 6:00 p.m. will be the Dinner buffet and at 7:00p.m. the Program starts
Tickets for the Rock Island Rotary Centennial Celebration are $35.00 per person or $45.00 at the door. Seating is limited. Purchase your tickets at the botanical center or at their web site www.qcgardens.com
The Children’s Garden will be open to the public during general Quad City Botanical Center Hours May 15- October 31, 2014. Visit us on Saturday, May 17 for fun opening weekend family festivities! General admission applies to visit the Children’s Garden.
Top photo by Vey Rodriguez
Facebook Comments