This garden is especially for children - 4-H Children's Garden, East Lansing, Michigan

Flower & Garden Magazine, June-July, 1994 by Denise Cerny

Topiary teddy bears, dance-chimes, the Alice in Wonderland Maze and a tree house are some of the highlights of a new garden for children on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing.

Located adjacent to the university's new Horticultural Demonstration Gardens and All-America Selections trial beds, the recently opened 4-H Children's Garden is a half-acre garden of delights. Dedicated in August 1993, its gardens include 55 different kid-oriented themes. Many are sized just right for children, being only a few feet across, like the Pizza Garden, with plants providing typical pizza toppings: 'Roma' tomatoes, bell peppers, basil and marigolds (to represent cheese).

The 4-H Children's Garden was six years from design to dedication and carried a $1 million price tag for plants, statuary and infrastructure. Construction and maintenance costs are paid by private donations.

The creative and fundraising force behind the project is Jane Taylor, now the garden's curator. Taylor has an undeniable knack for knowing how plants appeal to children. "Up until now, public gardens have not designed special places for young visitors," Taylor says. "You can read all the books you want and talk about potatoes. But you should see the children's reaction when they lift the window in the (raised) Special Child's Garden and can see the root crops growing under the soil! They love it."

Taylor has long been involved in the 4-H gardening project because she believes in its hands-on approach to learning. Five million children are involved in local clubs across the United States, making 4-H one of the nation's most popular out-of-school educational programs.

Upon entering the garden through the colorful Imagination Arbor, visitors choose from diverging paths that lead to various entertaining gardens. A Dinosaur Garden displays primitive plants such as ferns and a ginkgo, and the Cloth and Color Garden features plants used to create and dye fabric. Others include the Perfume Garden and the Cereal Bowl Garden.

The new garden's reputation has spread quickly in the Greater Lansing area. In the weeks after the garden's dedication, 1,000 people came daily for a firsthand look. About 250,000 visitors are expected annually.

Admission to the 4-H Children's Garden and adjacent Demonstration Gardens is free. The site is handicapped accessible. Parking costs $1 during university hours. A fee is charged for guided group tours. For more information, contact the MSU Gardens at 517-355-0348.

HARVEST HELPER

The kitchen garden seldom yields its harvest gradually and in just the quantities the cook needs. Instead, most years bring a barrage of harvest-ready fruits or vegetables in a matter of days.

Fortunately for gardeners, new technological developments have resulted in better plastic storage bags that help keep the garden harvest fresh longer.

A Ziploc plastic storage bag scored with vents and little holes is new from Dow. The design helps let out moisture to keep the stored produce fresh longer. To help gardeners deal with a plentiful harvest, Dow has also prepared a free booklet on how to care for fresh vegetables, available by calling 800-428-4795.

Another new storage bag from Evert-Fresh is similarly designed to extend the life of the produce harvest, and may just be what gardeners and cooks need when faced with enough fruit and berries to make jam on Monday but no time to make it until Saturday.

Evert-Fresh bags are lined with oya stone, a natural mineral that absorbs ethylene gas, which causes the deterioration in produce. These storage bags "breathe," allowing damaging gases to escape, and an anti-fogging treatment minimizes moisture and inhibits bacterial growth. Besides storing garden-fresh fruits and vegetables, the bags are also ideal for keeping salad ingredients and garnishes fresh and crisp until dinner time. The reusable bags can be found in grocery and health food stores. For more information about the product, or where it is available in your area, call 713-529-4593.