Native plants and wildflowers are an important part of any ecosystem. They support the environment by:
- Offering a habitat for pollinators, beneficial insects, and other wildlife
- Helping make soil healthy
- Filtering groundwater and stormwater
The more we teach children about the wonder of flowers, the better equipped they’ll be at taking care of them!
A wonderful place to explore and search for native plants is in the beautiful gardens of LongHouse Reserve. Woodland plants, such as ferns, are plentiful in the shadier areas of LongHouse, but check out these specific areas:
- Grass Garden, which is along the path that leads from the First Lawn to the Albee Ampitheatre.
- Lear Memorial Garden
- The south side of the reserve in the areas near Will Ryman’s “LongHouse 6” (The Haven, the Council Ring, and West Path)
- Kreye Canyon
So, grab a clipboard and our Native Plants Guide and set off on a local botanical adventure!
OBSERVATIONAL DRAWING
Once you’re home, invite your child to arrange a bouquet of freshly cut flowers in a small glass vase or mason jar.
Encourage him or her to spend time carefully observing the flowers with a magnifying glass. Notice the lines, shapes, colors, and patterns as well as the different parts of the flowers. Then offer a blank piece of paper and favorite art materials (we love oil pastels) in the same colors found in the flowers.
Keep the Native Plant Guide nearby to build all that wonderful scientific vocabulary!
