Aug 15th, 2015

Growing Mr. McGregor’s Garden

What do you get when you cross a classic children’s tale with the imaginations of fifteen 4- and 5-year-olds in a lush garden setting? A week-long camp chock-full of veggie-tastic fun!

Inspired by Beatrix Potter’s “The Tale of Peter Rabbit,” campers planted Mr. McGregor’s vegetable seeds (radishes, carrots, and lettuce) and ate blackberries like Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail. They built scarecrows to keep pesky animals out of the Garden and went on a bug hunt to learn which insects we want to invite into the Garden. They made cottontail rabbits with authentic cotton tails and drew maps of Mr. McGregor’s Garden to help Peter get out of his predicament. This popular Green Adventures Summer Camp will hop back into town for the summer of 2016! Until then, enjoy our photos from this year’s camp.

Wonderful worms at work! Campers sift through compost to discover more about our favorite underground gardeners.

Wonderful worms at work! Campers sift through compost to discover more about our favorite underground gardeners.

If you were Peter Rabbit, wouldn't you feel lucky to have these maps to find your way through the garden gate, along the path past the pond, through Mr. McGregor’s tool shed, and into his garden full of big juicy carrots?

If you were Peter Rabbit, wouldn’t you feel lucky to have these maps to find your way through the garden gate, along the path past the pond, through Mr. McGregor’s tool shed, and into his garden full of big juicy carrots?

As campers listen to The Tale of Peter Rabbit, they map out all of the key locations in the story.

As campers listen to The Tale of Peter Rabbit, they map out all of the key locations in the story.

The week wouldn’t be complete without building scarecrows to keep pesky rabbits out of the vegetable patch! Can you tell the scarecrows from the campers?

The week wouldn’t be complete without building scarecrows to keep pesky rabbits out of the vegetable patch! Can you tell the scarecrows from the campers?

By the end of the week, campers are excited to report that a daily spray of water has helped the radish and lettuce seeds to sprout in their small eggshell planters.

By the end of the week, campers are excited to report that a daily spray of water has helped the radish and lettuce seeds to sprout in their small eggshell planters.

Making journals encouraged the 4- and 5-year-olds to practice early literacy skills, document the week to share with their families, and express their creativity.

Making journals encouraged the 4- and 5-year-olds to practice early literacy skills, document the week to share with their families, and express their creativity. Can you tell which vegetables Jack imagines are in Mr. McGregor’s garden?

As the Exhibitions Manager at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Kristin Thoroman leads the development of seasonal exhibitions that support the Garden's mission to connect people through plants to improve communities. When not at the Garden, she loves exploring the sights and sounds of Richmond.

You May Also Like