This spring’s long-awaited addition of a Children’s Garden at the Gainesville Atlanta Botanical Garden will provide an exciting opportunity for play and learning in a botanical-rich setting.
Capping the Gainesville garden’s five-year anniversary, the grand opening for the new Ada Mae Pass Ivester Children’s Garden will be held on March 21. Perched on the highest point of the property, the 2 ½-acre garden is planted with trees, flowering shrubs and perennials, an estimated 95 percent of which were grown on-site, some for at least seven years from seeds or cuttings. Designed by Spurlock Landscape Architects, the garden features hands-on exploration, opportunities for adventure, and water play and free play elements.
 |
But the new space, named in honor of an avid gardener and community supporter, is not just about plants; programming is an important component as well. Children may explore the world of carnivorous plants in the bog bowls, listen to a story by the pond, discover fun facts about nature at a Discovery Station or make a craft to take home. The Build-a-Fort will provide an opportunity for budding architects and engineers to create the building of their dreams. And the Lawn Labyrinth, Treehouse and Rock Climb will provide for free play and exercise in a vibrant, beautiful setting.
 |
The winding walkway to the top of the hill is an adventure itself, with shrub tunnels serving as hideouts for miniature fairies and dragons. A balance beam dragon guards the entrance to the garden; its flames of fire lead to the Labyrinth Lawn and water play area.
 |  |
A boardwalk winds through tall grasses to the Fairy Forest, home to fairy houses, enchanted tree stumps, and a castle and fairy rings connected by the Train Garden. This garden features a trolley connecting two fairy villages with fairy houses made of natural materials such as bark, pine cones, acorns, sticks and gourds. The villages are watched over by Desmond the Dragon, a friendly creature hidden behind the pond. And everyone’s favorite giant frog plant sculptures accent the two sides of the pond, with the smaller frog spitting at the larger.
 |
Garden members are invited to an exclusive preview of the children’s garden on Friday, March 20 from 3 – 6 p.m., with a public grand opening celebration on Saturday, March 21 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
The Gainesville Atlanta Botanical Garden is located at 1911 Sweetbay Drive, Gainesville, GA 30501. They can be reached by phone at 404-888-4760. Follow the Atlanta Botanical Garden on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and YouTube.
The Gainesville Atlanta Botanical Garden hours are March 10 - October on Tuesday - Sunday from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. And from November - March 9 on Tuesday - Sunday from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
LIKE THIS ARTICLE: Sandy Springs Dunwoody Macaroni Kid is a free weekly newsletter and website focused on fun family events and information in Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, Chamblee, Doraville, Atlanta, and Perimeter. We gather together all kinds of local family events and activities each week and add useful information about classes, family-focused businesses, book and product reviews, recipes, crafts, school and camp guides and more. We proudly serve families in Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, Chamblee, Doraville, Atlanta, and Perimeter! Sandy Springs Dunwoody Macaroni Kid is full of useful local information like this PLUS tons of kid-friendly events on our event calendar. Have an event you'd like submitted to our calendar for consideration? Submit an event here. Like what you see here and want to get all the fun delivered to your inbox weekly? Subscribe to our FREE weekly e-newsletter for 411 on the local family fun. You can find Sandy Springs Dunwoody Macaroni Kid on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
