The Teaching Garden in Edwards Gardens
 
  The Teaching Garden is a unique area created to teach children how to care for their environment in a garden setting. March Break and summer programs for children ranging in ages from 3-12 years aim to teach children about nature, gardening and the environment though a wide variety of hands on activities. Depending on the program, participants go on nature hikes, plant vegetables and sow seeds, create eco-crafts, and explore visual and expressive arts and enjoy many other hands on activities focussed around the natural cycles of life in a garden.

In the Spring and the Fall, the Teaching Garden offers Kindergarden up to Grade six classes specially designed programs to support and enhance the Ontario Ministry of Education and Training Curriculum. All of these interactive programs, conducted by certified educators and trained horticulturists & volunteers, take place in the Teaching Garden and include many of the above activities within the set curriculum framework.

The TBG is grateful to the Imperial Oil Foundation for lending financial support to the children's educational programs in the Teaching Garden.

Location
The Teaching Garden is located in the western area of Edwards Gardens across the gurgling ravine and up the curved path.

When you see the red Garden House, the towering white pines, the Alphabet Garden and the log circles, you have made it there. If you are lucky, the scarecrows might be out to play. Listen closely and you might hear their invitation to take a closer look.

A Variety of Unique Gardens

The Teaching Garden hosts a series of demonstration gardens (see below) and four raised garden beds. As well there are two large plots for children to plant, cultivate & sow vegetables and flowers. Harvested vegetables are donated to food banks around Toronto.

Alphabet Garden: Its purpose is to interconnect plants with the alphabet featuring a path for children to follow the letters from A to Z.

Herb Garden: It is designed to demonstrate different uses of herbs. The garden is sectioned off into culinary, medicinal, storybook and tea herbs.

Scree Garden: This garden demonstrates xeriscaping (plants that exist without the aid of regular irrigation) with plants that can survive in the Canadian Tundra.

Dinosaur Garden: Home to a friendly Stegosaurus skeletal frame, this garden's purpose is to educate children in plant history and their connection to dinosaurs.

Rocky Mountain Garden: The ivy coated mountain goat lays claim to this garden designed to demonstrate the type of plants that grow in alpine habitats.

Fragrant Garden: This garden piques the olfactory nerves by displaying a variety of plants and flowers that are especially fragrant.

The Spiral Butterfly Garden: Marked with a giant butterfly sundial, this garden teaches the movement of the sun and its relationship to growing plants, many which are especially attractive to butterflies.

The Pre-Pioneer Garden: Stretching close to the red Garden House, the pre pioneer garden aims to demonstrate plants native to North America.

Allan Gardens Children's Conservatory
Programs School Programs

The programs conducted at the Allan Gardens Children’s Conservatory,
(Monday to Thursday from November 1, 2004 to March 11, 2005) are designed to educate children on the principles of lifesystems, gardening and the environment.

Activities in the greenhouse include:
• planting and harvesting vegetables
• meeting vermicomposting worms
• touring the lush greenhouses
• solving botanical mysteries
• playing habitat games

Programs support and enhance the Science and Technology Ontario
Ministry of Education and Training Curriculum. Our aim is to stimulate
the natural curiosity of all children about nature and gardening. Our
programs provide hands-on experiences that encourage students
to appreciate their environments from new perspectives.

Each class will attend two sessions, giving students a chance to harvest
food they planted and grew from seed. Post-program activities and
review worksheets will accompany each visit to augment and reinforce
the knowledge and skills taught during the conservatory program. After the
first visit students will be asked to track the progress of their plant or
worm experiments (plants and worms will be provided). Students will be
encouraged to share the exciting results of their experiments during
class time and on their second visit.

For more information download the program brochure or call .

Programs are offered in partnership with TD Finanical Group, Toronto Parks & Recreation. Endowment support for programming provided by the Donner Canadian Foundation in association with the Ontario Heritage Foundation.

Teaching Garden School Programs
(Fall & Spring)

Downloads (pdf):

• Fall 2004 School Brochure
• Spring 2004 School Brochure
• Registration Form

Teachers! Book your class visit today! All programs are designed to support and enhance the Ontario Ministry of Education Science and Technology Curriculum for Kindergarten to grade 6.

All school programs are designed to support and enhance the Science and Technology Ontario Ministry of Education and Training Curriculum. Programs are somewhat modified according to season.

Register for School Programs
Please mail or fax your registration form to book a visit to the Teaching Garden at Edwards Gardens. Once received, the Teaching Garden Coordinator will contact you to determine the date for your program. This will be followed by a confirmation letter and a class visit information sheet. All bookings are on a first-come, first served basis. Fee: $5 per student. Payment is due at the time of all trips. Cheques can be made out to the Toronto Botanical Garden. A receipt will be provided. There is no charge for cancellation provided the Teaching Garden receives notice at least one week ahead.

All programs are conducted outdoors and children are expected to come prepared for rain or snow. Indoor facilities are available in case of serious inclement weather.

For more information call or

Summer Nature Camps 2004
Summer programs for children ranging in ages from 3-12 years aim to teach children about nature, gardening and the environment though a wide variety of hands on activities. Depending on the program, participants go on nature hikes, plant vegetables, sow seeds, create eco-crafts, and explore visual and expressive arts activities focused around the natural cycles of life in a garden.

TO REGISTER

Download a printable registration REGISTRATION FORM

Archived Brochures:

• Program Guide Summer 2004
• Nature Day Camp & Workshops Spring 2003 Brochure
• March Break 2003 Brochure

Green Adventure Program

"Green Adventure" is a very special Community and Educational Outreach program serving children from low income, high density, and ethnically
diverse populations from areas throughout the GTA. This program allows
children who would otherwise have little or no access and/or contact with
the natural world to learn about the "little miracles" that occur in nature
everyday. The children plant and harvest vegetables for the Plant a Row,
Grow a Row program, which is part of the North York Harvest Food Bank.
Through this activity they gain a sense of empowerment, knowing that they
are helping to feed people, and in doing so, that they are having a positive
impact on other people in the city.

Thank you!
The TBG acknowledges and thanks the following organizations for lending their financial support to the Green Adventure program.

• J.P. Bickell Foundation
• Raptors Foundation
• Sir Joseph Flavelle Foundation
  
• Toronto Parks & Trees Foundation

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