At Elm Bank, even the very young learn to love gardens

Flowers are not all that’s blooming at Elm Bank Horticulture Center. It’s also a fertile ground for the imagination.

Home of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, Elm Bank is a popular destination for soccer games, walking, jogging and playing with pets. But it’s also a place where both kids and adults can explore and enjoy 10 gardens —including Weezie’s Garden for Children, the New England Trial Garden and the Olmstead-designed Italianate Garden — and participate in all kinds of classes and programs.

Visitors can also take a hands-on role in planting at Elm Bank. In May, during Trial Garden Planting Day, for example, volunteers helped dig holes, transport plants, plant annuals, vegetables, perennials, trees and shrubs, while discovering new varieties of plants, learning proper planting techniques and picking up design ideas for their own back yards. The trial garden is a testing ground for plants. In June, at Weezie’s Garden Planting Day, an event tailored for families, volunteers of all ages helped plant pumpkins, sunflowers, vegetables and food for the birds in the children’s garden.

Gardens Curator Peter Hinrichs said, “We’re really trying to create learning experiences for people.”

Although he has a degree in landscape architecture, gardening has always been a part of Hinrich’s life. While he was growing up, his family had a garden and they frequented botanical gardens as well. (Hinrich’s favorite garden at Elm Bank is the Temple Garden, which features katsura trees.) He’d love to see other people get back to their roots, where gardening really meant something to families, he said.

Learning by doing is emphasized at Elm Bank. As Trish Wesley Umbrell, director of education and outreaches, puts it, people remember through their “muscle memory.” For instance, Hinrichs conducted a class on gardening in the shade on June 22. A week later, the participants returned to plant a shade garden.

“We let kids explore all aspects of the garden,” he noted, referring to Weezie’s Garden for Children. Designed in 2003 by Julie Moir Messervy, it is an experiential learning garden. Kids can meander throughout this special place of their own, which has lots of different textures to it. The garden features a butterfly garden as well as a bird garden. A giant red chair just beckons them to climb upon it; when they do, they get a bird’s eye view of the garden and their parents get a perfect photo op.

According to Theresa Lakin, marketing associate at the MassHort, the focus at Elm Bank is educational horticulture. The experience and knowledge gained there is something that can be taken away. “We’re trying to bring gardening into families and the community through events and what we do here,” she said.

MassHort wants to have beautiful gardens for all to enjoy, but they want people to play a part in them. They collaborate with a number of organizations that have space of their own at Elm Bank, including the Noanett Garden Club, the New England Unit of the Herb Society of America, the American Rhododendron Society and the Day Lily Society. They are currently talking with the Northeast Region of the Conifer Society about having a space there.

The gardens are not static. There’s always something new to see, whether it’s because of the season or because of new plantings or re-designs. According to Hinrichs, there have been recent re-designs in the Trial Garden and some in the Italianate Garden as well.

On Aug. 3, the public is invited to participate in the installation of a brand new space, the Adrian Bloom Garden. English designer and horticulturalist Bloom, and volunteers, will build MassHort’s newest display of perennials, trees and shrubs. The day will conclude with a celebration in honor of all who participate in the Adrian Bloom Garden Build Day.

Jeanne O’Rourke, director of marketing and communications, said, “MassHort at Elm Bank is still considered by many to be an undiscovered jewel.”

But, she added, staff members “are really working hard to change that — we want people of all ages and backgrounds to come here and enjoy the site, whether it’s at our special events or children’s or adult classes, or by volunteering for an hour or so a day. So, come on over this summer and fall and experience what we have to offer!”

The Massachusetts Horticultural Society, located at Elm Bank Horticultural Center, is at 900 Washington St., Route 16, Wellesley. Call 617-933-4900; www.masshort.org.

Antiques at Elm Bank Estate July 28-29. Visit www.neantiquesshows.com.

Preview Breakfast Saturday, July 28, 8-9 a.m. Preview tickets: $25 includes Preview Breakfast and admission.

Open to the public: Saturday, July 28, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, July 29, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tickets: $10 admission (12 and younger free). Buy tickets at www.masshort.org or purchase onsite the day of event.

Breakfast with the Gardens Curator, Tuesdays, 9-11 a.m., through October. Next date: July 10. Free. Call 617-933-4925 for more information.

Weezie’s Garden Weekly Learning Themes. Fun themes continue in July at Elm Bank for Caterpillar Club, Grandparent’s Morning and Story Hour:

Caterpillar Club (for ages 3-6). Designed for children with activities, arts and crafts and exploration with their parent and staff. Held at education building at Elm Bank and outdoors in the gardens. Meets Mondays and Wednesdays from 10-11 a.m. July 9, 11, 16, 18, 23, 25, 30. Four-week saver package fee: $55 members/$70nonmmembers. Drop-in rate: $8 members/$10 nonmembers per class.

Story Hour (for all ages). Once a week through Aug. 24 in Weezie’s Garden to listen to children’s books with garden-related themes. Free. Dates in July: July 13, 20, 27. Story Hour will be held inside in case of rain.

Grandparents Mornings (for all ages). A special time of learning and gardening for grandparent and grandchild. Classes meet Thursday mornings through Aug. 9 at 10 a.m. and last approximately an hour and a half.

Dates in July: July 12 and 26. Fee: Per day $6 members/$10 nonmembers. Six-Session Saver Fee: $30 members/$55 nonmembers.

Junior Master Gardener Program (ages 6-12).

A fun-filled week of activities and crafts that focus on garden and horticultural education. Many take-home crafts will be completed. Each child who completes the week’s activities will gain a badge toward their Junior Master Gardener certification.

Summer Program Weeks: July 16-20; July 30-Aug. 3; Aug. 13-17; Aug. 20-24. Hours: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Elm Bank. Fee per session: $150 members/$200 nonmembers. Extended care hours 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

For more information call or e-mail Monique Cafarelli at 617-933-4995; mcafarelli@masshort.org, or Elizabeth Hoyt at 617-933-4983, ehoyt@masshort.org, or register online at www.masshort.org.

Designed for K-8 public and private school teachers. Professional credits available.

Classes will be held Monday, Wednesday and Friday for one week from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Elm Bank.

Botany 101, July 9, 11 and 13

People, Plants & Food, July 23, 25 and 27

Ecology in the Garden, Aug. 6, 8 and 10.

Fee per workshop: $120 members/$150 nonmembers or $345 members/$410 nonmembers for all three sessions.

Graduate credit is an additional cost of only $165 for three credits.

For more information call or e-mail Monique Cafarelli at 617-933-4995; mcafarelli@masshort.org, or Elizabeth Hoyt at 617-933-4983, ehoyt@masshort.org., or register online at www.masshort.org.

Master Gardener Courses. Applications are now being taken for the fall course. Visit www.masshort.org or contact Sydney-Anne Jones, 617-933-4934 or sjones@masshort.org.

The 11th Annual Massachusetts Marketplace Festival: Saturday, Aug. 18. Rain date: Sunday, Aug. 19.

Flora at MassHort. Flora is MassHort’s gift and garden shop at Elm Bank. Flora offers free gift-wrapping and dog treats. Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m.