This vibrant, interactive, children’s garden was created by community volunteers, using the ideas that were dreamed up by local children and their parents! It is filled with plants and other features that delight all the senses, such as:
- A sea of grasses that rustle in the wind;
- Plants that feed butterflies and other beneficial insects, hummingbirds and songbirds;
- Berries for humans (and birds) to nibble on;
- Child-size picnic tables and tree stump stools;
- The Log Pile, for building forts, nests, bug houses, or other playful structures;
- The Rolling Lawn, for spins and giggles;
- A spiral path up the hill to the Lookout, the highest point in the whole community garden;
- The Salmon Survival Path mosaic stream, created by local schoolchildren;
- The Grey Whale Garden, complete with mosaic tail and eyes, and a tall grass spout!
It’s hard to believe that it’s been 2 years since we celebrated a major milestone on at the October 1st 2011 Fall Harvest Celebration, when hundreds of children and parents joined Caspar Babypants in singing “Happy Birthday” to celebrate the Magnuson Children’s Garden’s 10th Anniversary!
Once a month from spring to fall, the Magnuson Children’s Garden Committee and Magnuson Community Center co-sponsor Family Garden Days and other special events in the Children’s Garden. Free childrens activities are provided at these events, including worm bin exploration, nature art sculptures, planting and harvesting!
At all Family Garden Day events, community volunteers are also on hand, doing seasonal garden tasks such as weeding, mulching, and other stewardship activities, and King County Master Gardeners are on hand to answer your home gardening questions. Children and parents are welcome to join in the stewardship too: favorite child-friendly gardening activities are spreading wood chips, refilling bird baths and puddling ponds, and watering plants!
In the spring and fall, Family Garden Days are held on Saturday mornings, in conjunction with Seattle Works TeamWorks volunteer stewardship events.
Our summertime Family Garden Days are held in on Friday evenings, in conjunction with Magnuson Community Center’s free, family-friendly, music concerts and other special events in the Magnuson Community Garden Amphitheater, which is right next door to the Children’s Garden. Check our Calendar page for dates and details for all of this year’s exciting Children’s Garden events!
You are also welcome to stop by the garden for free family nature activities during our annual United Way Day of Caring stewardship event – this year it is on Friday Sept 20th from 10am-2pm!
On Saturday Oct. 5th from 11am-2pm, our Scarecrow Mini-Fest will fill the Children’s Garden, Demonstration Orchard, and Brig lawn with a fabulous variety of family fun- what a great way to celebrate the summer’s successes and welcome the fall season!
For additional information on the history of the Magnuson Children’s Garden, visit www.seattle.gov/magnusongarden