Ellen Loyd – Education Intern

Hey everyone! I’m Ellen Loyd, one of the Education interns here at the Gardens. What a week it has been! This past Tuesday we had our second meeting of Plant Pals, where we got to get our hands dirty down at the Home Production Garden! First, we weeded our little plot then dug holes for our tomatoes and cucumbers. We learned about proper planting technique, making sure to give the roots of our plants enough space to spread out.

Once we got them all watered we headed back to the classroom to taste test one of the veggies we planted, along with a popular garden herb. Tomatoes and basil, of course! We added some mozzarella cheese and balsamic to make mini caprese salad. Next week we’re going to be planting the rest of our cucumbers and strawberries, so make sure to join us at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday!

The first summer youth program was also a great success! Fourteen kids joined us for a day of exploring the world of plants. We discussed plant anatomy, phototropism, and stretched our creative muscles making alien plants. We had a fun time cooling off with a spray bottle battle, then raced to complete a scavenger hunt before the other team. I’m very excited for our next summer program, Mud Day!

• Ellen Loyd, Education Intern