Wellfield Botanic Children's Garden

Nestled within the Wellfield Botanic Garden campus, the Children’s Garden was meticulously crafted to offer a natural playscape for kids of all ages to experience – seamlessly blending elements of fun, education, and accessibility. Utilizing both passive and active play elements, the space provides an area for children to directly engage with the natural environment.

With input from key stakeholders, the JPR team worked closely with Wellfield Botanic Garden to master plan, design, and oversee construction to create a one-of-a-kind oasis where imagination knows no bounds and every corner invites adventure.

A whimsical gateway welcomes children and their families into the space, where they are greeted with raised seat walls for gathering and a terrazzo flooring with granite fish silhouettes emulating the stream that runs below. Once inside, they walk down the interpretive pathway to further explore the many amenities. These include a meadow crawl tunnel beneath native Indiana tallgrass and wildflowers, a floating lily pad bridge, and a wetland boardwalk with water cannons.

At the heart of the garden is a flowing stream with three tributaries and a series of waterfalls. Here, visitors can control the flow of water by opening and closing valves, allowing them to explore and manipulate the water. Enveloped under the canopies of towering sycamore trees, a tiki hut with exploration cabinets and an elevated accessible walkway leading to a treehouse can be found. Furthermore, the garden doubles as a living classroom. Children can learn about sustainable agriculture on an interactive farm, read in a quiet boulder nook, or enjoy weekly programming at the outdoor amphitheater.

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