WHEATON, IL, September 1, 2010 — Cantigny Park, part of the McCormick Foundation, announced the opening of a new and improved Idea Garden. The garden, one of Cantigny’s most popular horticultural attractions, underwent an extensive makeover this summer to give park visitors an even more interactive experience.
Several innovative new features in the Idea Garden will appeal to families with children, including a Pixie Passage tunnel, Fairy Garden, a larger pond with more fish and frogs and an Alphabet Trail. The latter uses the 26 letters to introduce kids to the common or botanical name of plants or other items in the garden.
“We wanted to make the garden a more hands-on experience that allows your senses to take flight,” said Liz Omura, Idea Garden curator/horticulture education and volunteer coordinator. “Our formal gardens are fabulous but they are hard to replicate at home. The Idea Garden is a place where adults can learn how to use different plants and design concepts in their own gardens and where children can learn about horticulture in a fun and interactive way.”
Omura added that the new Idea Garden layout includes a winding path that invites visitors to wander and look around. “We set it up in a way that hopefully peaks interest and encourages children to ask more questions,” she said.
The one-acre Idea Garden, now in its twentieth year, is actually several gardens within one. It includes a children’s garden, sensory garden and a “Walk Through the Seasons” garden.
Starting this fall, adults and children alike will benefit from additional programming focused on and around the Idea Garden. Upcoming scheduled events (all free) include:
- Sept. 8: Flower Arranging Workshop, 12 pm
- Sept. 15: Garden Tips & Tastes, 12 pm
- Sept. 25: Monarch Butterfly Tagging, 1 pm
Event details are posted online at Cantigny.org. Admission to the Idea Garden is free with paid parking ($5 per vehicle, or just $2 on Mondays and before 10 am). Cantigny Park is open from 7 am to sunset every day through October. Hours are 9 am to sunset in November and December.
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About Cantigny
Cantigny, part of the Chicago-based McCormick Foundation, is the 500-acre Wheaton (Illinois) estate of Robert R. McCormick, longtime editor and publisher of the Chicago Tribune. Cantigny Park is home to the McCormick Museum, First Division Museum, formal gardens, picnic grounds, walking trails and a Visitors Center with banquet and dining facilities. More information, including hours, directions and upcoming events is online at Cantigny.org. Cantigny Golf, adjacent to the park, features a 27-hole championship golf course, full-service clubhouse, Cantigny Golf Academy and the 9-hole Cantigny Youth Links. For more information, visit CantignyGolf.com.