History of the Garden

In the beginning…

The space that is now the children’s garden was once occupied by grass and crab apple trees.

March 2004

March 2004

Believing strongly in this mission and in the concept of nature nurtures, in the spring of 2004 volunteers initiated a project to create an educational and therapeutic sensory garden for the children who visit the Center. Initial discussions arose over the conversion of this space to an interactive children’s garden. As an experiment, some flowers were planted in the courtyard which produced positive responses from visitors both human and non-human.

July of 2004 and the flowers are blooming

July 2004 flowers & a visiting grasshopper

Proposals were drawn and ideas refined for a garden that would welcome interaction and could endure exploration. We did not want a garden which inhibited curiousity by restricting access to the plants but rather, one where kids could smell, touch, taste, explore and learn about plants and their role in our lives. In addition, by participating in the stages of a garden — planting, transplanting, harvest — kids would learn how gentleness and nurturing produces positive results.

To this end the following plan was made. The garden would be divided into components that focus on one of the five senses as well as feature plants with fun characteristics: unusual bloom, tall stature, varying blooming times throughout the day.

In the spring of 2005, our plans began to come to fruition. With the help of Hinsbrook Landscaping, the courtyard was excavated which included tree and grass removal, soil replacement and finally, hardscape installation.

Garden construction - March 2005

Garden construction - March 2005

Once the landscape renovation was completed, volunteers came for a planting day and many plants were installed, moved, and configured to fit our design and mission.

May 2005: First Volunteer Planting Day

May 2005: First Volunteer Planting Day

Many plants were installed by volunteers.

Many plants were installed by volunteers.

Through seasons of trial and error, we learn which plants survive Chicago’s tough winters and fickle springs and continue to find cultivars which fascinate and educate all who visit. There are plants native to Illinois as well as hybrids in the garden. Edible, fragrant, tall, sprawling, climbing, there’s always a surprise waiting among the plants, shrubs and vines.

Determined to keep the garden as organic as possible, we have been utilizing gardening practices such as insect control through maintaining a population of beneficial insects, crop rotation and companion planting. Weed control has mostly been achieved through the sweat of volunteers willing to pull and prod the ubquitous weeds from between pavers and behind desired plantings.

Volunteers help with spring cleaning

Volunteers help with spring cleaning

The efforts of individual volunteers as well as employees of local companies such as Jewel Food Stores and grants from GreenNet Chicago have contributed to the creation of the garden that you can visit today.

To the children who come to the Center, the garden represents a vibrant living example of the possibility of beginning again and of the beauty that can come from that process.

Praying Mantis sunning herself on the eastern wall.

Praying Mantis sunning herself on the eastern wall.




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