What’s Growing in the Garden?
In summer, the Garden comes alive: Popping colors and verdant greens, busily buzzing bees, and birds twittering in the treetops. Some of these sights persist year-round; others come only once a year.
We asked Jason McClevish, ICG’s dedicated Playful Nature Explorers teacher and Facilities Manager, about what’s growing in the Garden. We hope you enjoy Jason’s homage to the Garden’s vibrancy and the energy, curiosity, and excitement of the folks who make it so:
When I think of the life that ICG supports, I feel humbled and deeply appreciative of its willingness to hold so much.
With linear mechanical time blasting by at a breakneck pace, we at the Garden relish in the special moments that pile up into the treasures of a day. Summer campers crafting, field trippers squeezing it all in, and TUFers elevating. And every other type of participant experiencing is welcomed with vitality and abundance here at ICG – and this is ever encouraging and exciting. Whether you seek a peaceful stroll through the continually blooming Bulb Labyrinth, a mud-covered revel playing till you fall down, or some thoughtful grazing through the available delectable, it is all fair game. We each come hunting our own treasures: quietly discovering berries (black currants, soon blackberries), hunting for the hidden carrots, trying new strong flavors in the kitchen garden (stevia, shiso, fennel, dill, chives), appreciating any number of the daily floral performers that entertain pollinators and people alike.
Each day, filled with surprises and discoveries, we support the place while being held in a safe and fun magical bubble that provides and excites in endless ways. With the diligent works of TUF, the imagination and energy of summer staff, and the consistent awareness and efforts of the dedicated year-round team, all fueled by the immense joy and vitality of the children, the organic play of the year is ever lively and rooted in the rhythms of a welcoming place that is safe and welcoming to those present.
So, come seeking a new flavor, new experience, new favorite place in the Garden, or have a classic lie in the grass (or mud) and take it all in as so many children and adults in the know are inclined to do. The Garden has a place for you.