Mommiieee! I want to go to the Garden!

The plea started early on Tuesday morning. Thankfully—since I work at the Garden—I knew it would be open til 9 p.m., so I made a deal. “If you’re a good girl, we’ll go to the Garden tonight.”

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden has been offering “Families After 5” on Tuesday evenings this summer -- there are two more left: August 21 & 28. On these nights, the Garden is open til 9 p.m. and the WaterPlay in the Children’s Garden is turned on. Kid-friendly food is also available for purchase in the Children’s Garden.

And so, I get to write this blog as a mom.

After work, I packed up the kids (Lilah, three years old, and Duncan, 6 months) and headed back to the Garden. I was one of those moms with a double stroller. (Did you know the Garden now keeps “double stroller dimensions” in mind when planning pathways?) The weather could not have been nicer and I wished everyone could see the Garden at such a beautiful time of day.

Although I would have enjoyed walking more, the siren call of the WaterPlay lured my child. She danced in the fountains, squealing in delight until the evening cooled so much that chattering teeth signaled it was time to dry off and head home. As we walked back through the Children’s Garden, we played a game of searching for and counting pumpkins growing among the tangled vines.

It occured to me she really has limited opportunities to see pumpkins growing—and suddenly the many discussions we have at work about our role in helping children connect with the natural world became very real to me.

How important do you think it is for children to make that connection?

Beth Monroe is public relations director at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.

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