The Sensory Garden at The Louisville Nature Center
The springs and summers at the Sensory Garden at LNC are always a busy time with many visitors enjoying its beauty and serenity. There are neighbors who visit every day, out of town visitors on vacations, children on a field trip from schools coming by the bus loads, LNC Summer Camp attendees, mothers and dads with little ones in tow, all enjoying this beautiful space.
When the Master Gardeners and Master Gardener Interns volunteer here there is always a chance to interact with folks and answer the questions they may have. The MGs and MG Interns also have the opportunity to have educational programs for the kids and adults who are interested in learning something new. The unusual plants that we have always draw a lot of attention from the adults. We start several plants from seed each year. Red Foliated Cotton, Irish Poet Tassel Flowers, Cardinal Basil, Elephant Ears Gigantea and the banana trees have always been favorites with the visitors. Children and parents alike enjoy doing LNC’s scavenger hunt in the SG. Sometimes they need a little help spotting one of the answers. The kids are always thrilled to see butterflies, tadpoles, lizards, and dragonflies in the garden.
The late summer, early fall, brings in a multitude of students and teachers. They are looking for that special leaf, or that flower that still has gorgeous bright colors, or the herb that has a fragrance enjoyed by all. This garden is like an open book that draws you in to enjoy its many layers of beauty and wondrous creatures!
We don’t rest in the fall since there are still jobs that need to be done to put the garden down for its nice long nap. The raised beds are cleaned out of all the veggies and annuals to help prevent diseases from rotting plants. The banana trees are cut back and mulched over to protect them from the freezing winter temperatures. The seeds on most of the plants are left for the overwintering birds in the garden.
This Sensory Garden is a learning place for all of us!
Submitted by Janie Kanzler