LIFE-LONG LEARNING
YEAR-ROUND CLASSES & HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS
The calendars are full year-round in botanic gardens with classes for young and old from conservation, to horticulture, to health and fitness.
HORTICULTURE ● CONSERVATION ● OUTDOOR HEALTH & HOBBIES
ABOUT THERAPEUTIC GARDENING
Therapeutic gardening is another area where the evidence-based research has caught up with what we all knew every time we took a soothing walk in a garden. At the root of everything we do is the belief that gardening is good for the mind, body and soul. Therapeutic gardening can play a real healing role for people with physical or mental health issues: seniors with limited active opportunities, folks with mobility issues, kids from challenging environments, and an area we are particularly interested in for our community, PTSD veterans. For some, we have designed safe opportunities into the environment: Three Sisters, the Enchanted Playground, the Wilderness, the Secret Playground, the Prairie Playground. For others, we plan on working collaboratively with area agencies and organizations that serve these populations.
JUST FOR KIDS
Most kids in El Paso have never gotten their hands dirty. We are still astonished every time we say that. There are a whole bunch of kids in the United States that spend more time in front of a blue screen than they do outdoors but they may have a woods at their back fence. It's a little harder for kids in the desert. They live in a much starker environment. We want to help them reengage with the sheer fun of play with natural elements: how to make insect hotels, how to grow dinosaur food (giant kale:), how to make a scarecrow, garden to table to mouth deliciousness. There is so much fun ahead!
