WASHINGTON 鈥� It鈥檚 going to be a hot Fourth 鈥� and if you鈥檙e looking for an oasis in the middle of the desert that is the National Mall, you don鈥檛 need to wander too far.
After an eight-month renovation, the children鈥檚 garden at the is now open to the public. The newly refreshed space includes a climbing structure, a digging area, a kiwifruit tunnel and a plant-your-own garden station.
There鈥檚 also plenty of shade and endless opportunities to play with water.
鈥淗ere鈥檚 a place where kids can come and they are free to dig, and plant, and water, and explore and play in the dirt 鈥� this is their space,鈥� said Devin Dotson, public affairs and exhibit specialist at the U.S. Botanic Garden.
鈥淲here else can you go and dig and play with the plants and not get in trouble? This is that safe space.鈥�
The U.S. Botanic Garden, which is sandwiched between the Air and Space Museum and the U.S. Capitol along Independence Avenue, opened the children鈥檚 garden 15 years ago. Dotson says this year鈥檚 updates allow for more experimentation and self-discovery.
Watering-can benches line the perimeter of the play area, and a pint-size picnic table sits under the tree house 鈥� a perfect spot for a midmorning snack or lunch with friends.
Steel dandelion statues tower above the space and dwarf fruit trees flank the entrance.
鈥淲e make it a point to bring things down to their level,鈥� Dotson said about the small apple and banana trees.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an opportunity for us to say, 鈥楬ey, here are some things you might know from your kitchen or from your grocery store, but here鈥檚 the actual plant that it grows on.鈥欌��
Entrance to the children鈥檚 garden is free of charge; the U.S. Botanic Garden is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Dotson added, 鈥淧eople ask, 鈥楬ow young is too young for people to interact and learn about plants?鈥� And we say, 鈥楢t birth.鈥欌��
