The Living Legacy Forest at the Brunswick Park and Gardens is a celebration of any and all stages of life.
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Children's Garden and Carousel
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Happy, Hands-On Interactive Experiences
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Winding Trail with Surprises Around Each Corner
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Maine Artists' Animal Sculptures
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Magical Carousel, Maine Animals to Ride
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The Children's Garden
The Children's Garden
by Dorothy Hassfeld, Jane Donelon and others
The Children's Garden is for children and their families- and for the child in each of us. Its purpose is to present the joy and glory of nature in all her diversity and to encourage learning by hands-on and inter-active experiences.
Entering the Children's Garden through a special gate is a secret path with clues leading to further exploration into the garden. Following a child's footprint one comes upon the first garden. This little garden contains lilac bushes surrounding a small bench and raised beds overflowing with johnny-jump-ups, daisies, black-eyed Susans and lamb's ears. Other boxes that invite touching and smelling, as well as observing include hummingbird favorites such as pulmonaria, monarda, and a trumpet vine climbing a tree. A sculpture of a ruby-thraoted hummingbird is nearby. The flowers and animals will be labeled.
The child's footprint leads onward down the path. Around the next bend is a life-size sculpture of a wild turkey standing in a potato garden at the edge of scattered trees. Each piece of art will be hidden from view from the previous one by the winding path, fostering curiosity and wonder, and the footprints of each animal will be added as discovered and join the walk along the secret pathway. Sculptures of different animals from Maine will be discovered in the small gardens along the path. Perhaps a ground hog will be found next or a frog in a small pond. A black bear may be surrounded by blueberry bushes or a life-size moose chomping on one of its favorite foods!
Around a bend the path will open to reveal a magnificent, magical carousel made of huge, one-of-a-kind, whimsical sculptures of all the Maine animals discovered along the way. Maine artists will sculpt the animals from composite materials for durability and strength. The carousel will be powered by solar, wind, water and/or hand. Children's imaginations will soar as they delight in riding these incredible creatures.
Leading from the carousel a signpost will point to a variety of trails to choose from- each with a different center for exploration. There may be a sand/dirt area with materials for planting a bulb, creating a garden, making animal tracks, building a bird feeder, using solar energy or seeing how pollution "happens". There could be a 'worm bin' for learning about composting, a nature art, music or writing area, a place for playing cooperative nature games. There are an unlimited number of fascinating subjects to choose from. Some activities would be self-directed, others teacher/volunteer directed. All would be hands-on.
It is anticipated that local school children will be involved in the design and development of the Children's Garden. The chosen artists in the designing of the garden gate(s), the signs, could use children’s art and the carousel sculptures of the selected Maine animals. Students and/or local teachers could be invited to suggest areas that may be of special interest/usefulness. School/ Community involvement would be encouraged.
Sections of the Children's Garden would be used every season. In addition to the expected spring and summer activities helping with the harvest, learning how to make pickles, apple picking, cider-pressing, and other fun activities could occur in the fall. The many beautiful sculptures in the Children's Garden could inspire awesome Snow Sculptures. Sledding on adjacent Daffodil Hill and skating on the pond would provide fun and healthy ways to get exercise and fresh air in winter. The carousel and the secret pathway in the Children's Garden could be decorated and lit for the winter holidays. Young and old will enjoy hiking and cross-country skiing on the trails in the park.
The love of nature encouraged by happy explorations and experiences by children and others at the Brunswick Park and Gardens will help assure a more caring and committed community.