Hello, fellow lovers of all things green,
Last week, I shared the delight of meeting a Tree of Life, the magnificent baobab at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden near Miami, Florida, during a family reunion. It was a lovely outing on a drizzly day—perfect for exploring a tropical garden.
Even beneath our feet, nature’s patterns invite us to pause, notice, and wonder.
Along the pathways, leaves from tropical plants pressed into the concrete created lovely patterns. What a clever way to turn an ordinary path into something beautiful! We could do the same in our own gardens, using favorite leaves to make a pathway uniquely ours.
At forks in the road, rustic wooden signs invite guests to follow the tropical trail. So many beautiful plants and treasures to discover.
And an oddity, too. Or so I thought.
A Playground Made by Mother Nature
The entrance marker to Fairchild’s Martha Oakman Clinton Children’s Garden, where a natural setting sparked a trip down memory lane.
We came upon the Children’s Garden. Before spotting the sign, I assumed the area was under renovation. Weathered tree stumps, fallen trunks, and enormous boulders lay scattered among wood mulch. Nothing like the enchanting children’s gardens I’d visited at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx or Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.
Then something shifted.
I remembered the fun I had playing in the woods as a kid. Children growing up in cities or busy suburbs don’t always have access to such natural playgrounds, where imagination is the only equipment needed.
Childhood Adventures in the Woods
Dad hung a huge tire swing from a sturdy branch in the woods behind our home in Baldwinsville, New York. He also secured a straight, six-inch-diameter tree trunk between two trees, creating a balance beam of sorts.
I knew nothing about measuring trees then, but I adored them.
My sister Dot and I found adventure in a maple tree’s branches. Who needed a playground when we had Mother Nature?
I treasure a photo of my sister and me climbing a maple in our front yard. I remember dreaming of becoming a tree surgeon. Little did I know it was an actual profession!
Our woodpile became another playground. My four siblings and I played among the logs, which became building blocks for makeshift couches, chairs, and tables—a ground-level fort or living room. I wished we could have moved it high into the trees.
Behind the woods was a small, old cemetery. Its gravestones were so weathered that the names were hard to read. I always wondered who those people were. On Halloween, it became a spooky place to explore by flashlight. Mom had told us never to step on graves. Navigating in the dark was tricky, but we did our best.
From Tree Climbing to Astronauts
Speaking of childhood memories, Dad worked in General Electric’s Space Division in the early days of America’s space program, during the Apollo missions. Years later came the Space Shuttle program, including Challenger, which ended tragically with seven crew members aboard.
So, the fascination with space was part of growing up.
One funny detail I remember: Our only sweet drink was Tang. Why? Because the astronauts drank it! If it was good enough for astronauts, it was good enough for us. These days, Tang has acquired another reputation—as a household trick for removing hard-water stains from dishwashers. No kidding, it works!
From outer space to the dishwasher. Who would have imagined?
It was fun to learn about Fairchild’s in-school program, Growing Beyond Earth, a partnership with NASA where students help research how to grow food for astronauts. They use plant-growing chambers modeled after the Vegetable Production System (Veggie) aboard the International Space Station.
There you go, Dad. Space is still intriguing to me.
Gardens Designed for Childhood Wonder
Mom J and Dotty enjoying Longwood Gardens, a place of treasured garden memories.
Longwood Gardens has been woven into my life since childhood. Pictures of us as kids visiting there appear in a post titled Mary Stone’s Brief Bio, which I prepared for the Shrewsbury, New Jersey, Garden Club when they invited me to speak during their 60th-anniversary celebration ten years ago. Oh my, how time has flown!
Longwood’s first Indoor Children’s Garden opened in 1987, and they redesigned it in 1990. In October 2007, they opened an expanded wonderland filled with whimsical fountains, fanciful creatures, and opportunities for discovery.
I was privileged to join my photographer friend Joe DeScoise for a photo session before the new garden opened to the public.
Over the years, I visited Longwood with my childhood friend Dotty and her mom, my beloved piano teacher, Mrs. Jackson. I called her Mom J, and she called me her third daughter.
So many beautiful memories. During one visit, I was amazed by how enormous the topiary garden seemed. (Read more about our adventures in Mom Jackson’s Garden.)
The Everett Children’s Adventure Garden at the New York Botanical Garden offers another delightful setting for young imaginations.
I also adored the children’s garden at the New York Botanical Garden, with its colorful entrance and interactive exhibits that encourage youngsters to explore plants and nature.
Both gardens offer extraordinary experiences. Yet Fairchild’s collection of logs and boulders reminded me that a fallen tree can be just as extraordinary. Children become the designers, builders, and storytellers, transforming Mother Nature’s gifts into secret places to play.
Pinecone Angels and Miniature Worlds
While walking Jolee the other day, I ran into my friend Susan. You may remember Susan from our recent story about Japanese knotweed and her remarkable persistence in keeping it at bay.
Norway Spruce Pinecones that turned into Fistfuls of Pinecones Bring Happiness (click the link to enjoy the story.)
As we chatted, a woman pulled up and asked Susan for permission to gather Norway spruce cones from her lawn. She wanted them for a craft to make angels with the children at her church. Susan happily agreed. How wonderful to know nature still provides materials for childhood creativity!
Pinecones can become angels, ornaments, or little woodland creatures. Acorns can become miniature hats or the heads of imaginary characters. Fallen leaves pressed between sheets of wax paper, or used for pencil rubbings, become works of art.
And a walk in the woods can become a treasure hunt for special rocks. Heart-shaped ones pop out to me and make me think of my beloved brother Bill. One of them, turned sideways, also looks like a turtle.
You’ll find fascinating bits of bark, seedpods, fallen branches or twigs, and loose moss. And what fun it is to turn some of these finds into miniature gardens!
It reminds me of a previous story, Terrariums—a Mini Gardening Warmup, about a gathering at A&J Messina Greenhouses, where guests created little landscapes in glass containers.
Some added moss, bark, and pebbles, along with miniature creatures. One even fashioned a tiny chair from twigs! A shallow dish garden is another way to create an imaginary landscape with natural treasures.
Of course, when collecting, respect the places we visit. Many public gardens and preserves prohibit collecting, and living mosses, plants, and wildlife habitats should be left undisturbed. Fallen treasures from our own yards, gathered thoughtfully, offer plenty of possibilities.
Where Imagination Takes Root
Back to the children’s garden at Fairchild: We may admire beautifully designed gardens, elaborate playgrounds, and sophisticated attractions. But a fallen tree, a pile of logs, or a collection of rocks can be just as extraordinary.
What first looked like an unfinished garden turned out to be a playground for the imagination at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden.
Each discovery becomes another possibility, with no instructions required.
That’s the gift of spending time in nature. It leaves room for imagination to grow, curiosity to flourish, and confidence to take root.
The same is true for big kids like us, but we often overlook it.
Children remind us that wonder doesn’t require extravagance. All it takes is a tree to climb, a stone to balance on, or a sturdy branch to hold a swing—and the freedom to discover what comes next.
Let’s remain little treasure hunters, no matter where we live. Whether in the countryside, suburbs, or city, nature is always around us, inviting us to marvel, explore, and play—kindly and respectfully.
After all, learning to respect nature and each other begins at home, in our own backyards.
Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone@gmail.com or tune in on your favorite podcast app.
Prefer to listen? 🎧 There’s more to the story in the Garden Dilemmas Delights & Discoveries Podcast:
Related stories you’ll enjoy:
Terrariums—a Mini Gardening Warmup
Link to Joe DeScoise Photography
