The Teaching Garden in Edwards Gardens
The Toronto Botanical Garden's Teaching Garden provides a unique space for children to learn by interacting with the environment. Our goal is to stimulate children's curiosity about nature and gardening though hands-on activities.
In the Spring and Fall, the Teaching Garden offers interactive outdoor programs for Kindergarten to Grade Four classes. Beginning in January 2006, indoor programs in our new Children's Centre will also be available. Each school program is designed to support and enhance the Ontario Science and Technology curriculum, and is conducted by certified teachers. Class visits to the Teaching Garden and Children's Centre provide children with learning experiences that are not possible in a traditional classroom setting.
During March Break and the Summer, the Teaching Garden provides interactive, fun activities for participants. Our Nature Day Camps offer children a variety of single-day and week-long adventures in the Teaching Garden and the Children's Centre. Read on for more information about each of our programs.
Location 
The Teaching Garden is located on the west side of Edwards Gardens, across the creek and up the curved path. When you see the red-roofed garden house, the towering white pine trees, and the giant monarch butterfly, you will know that you're in the right place! Follow the dinosaur footprints all through the garden. To ensure the safety of our participants, the Teaching Garden is not open to the public when programs are in progress. The garden is open to visitors most evenings and weekends.
A Variety of Unique Gardens
The Teaching Garden features a series of demonstration gardens (see below) and two large plots reserved especially for children to plant, cultivate & sow vegetables and flowers. Harvested vegetables are donated to the North York Harvest Food Bank.
Alphabet Garden: Children are guided along a winding path, visiting plants with names that begin with every letter of the alphabet. Can you think of a plant that begins with the letter X?
Sensory Garden: Use all five senses to explore the magic of this garden. Plants that smell like pineapples and lemons, that feel like the softest lamb's wool, and that shrink from your touch are featured in the Sensory Garden.
Dinosaur Garden: In this garden, which is home to a friendly stegosaurus, children will see and touch plants that dinosaurs once munched on. This garden's purpose is to help children discover the history of plants.
The Spiral Butterfly Garden: Marked with a giant butterfly sundial, this garden teaches children how the movement of the sun affects plants, and features plants that are especially attractive to butterflies.
The Teaching Garden also features an Herb Garden, Rocky Mountain Garden, and more.
For further information, please visit:
http://www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca/teachinggarden.htm#workshops
