Registration for the 2026 Growin' Gardeners season begins on Tuesday, February 3 at 9 AM.
Due to popularity, registration fills up quickly.
Design, tend and harvest your own pint-sized garden plot in The Children’s Garden!
A skillful blend of award-winning curriculum and physical engagement strengthens each child’s bond with family and with the natural world. Eight weeks of engaging lessons will include topics such as: insects, weeds, and plant biology. You’ll tend to your 4x4 garden plot after each short lesson! Staff and volunteers will be available to assist.
Tuesday Classes
10–11 AM
June 9– July 28
Tuesday Classes
11 AM–12 PM
June 9– July 28
Wednesday Classes
10–11 AM
June 10 – July 29
Thursday Classes
6:30–7:30 PM
June 11 – July 30
$80.00 per family, supplies included. At least one child must be 4 years or older, but everyone is welcome to participate. Admission, for children in the family, is included with the class fee. Adults must purchase an annual admission card ($30.00). Attendance, the first week is mandatory for garden planting. Silly scarecrow building will happen only during week 2. Please make sure your calendar will allow you to participate. Spots are limited, and fill up fast!
Garden Improvements: Garden plots now feature protective fencing, helping ensure your young gardeners' hard work pays off with a bountiful harvest!
Cultivating Minds: Created to teach and empower families to garden and connect with their food, the Growin’ Gardeners program kicked off in 2003 with 10 family plots. Due to the program’s popularity, that number has since increased to 78 plots and now includes over 200 participants each year.
Following registration, participating families will pick up a packet with a plant list, which has a list of suitable vegetables and herbs, as well as guidance on vegetable garden design. Once plant selection and design are completed by families, they are returned and saved for planting day. The selected plants are grown at Dow Gardens’ greenhouse facility until ready for planting.
One-hour weekly sessions are held throughout the program, where families learn skills such as how to plant, sow, thin seedlings, sucker tomatoes, and identify insects and weeds. Following the lesson, families are given responsibility for watering, weeding, insect monitoring, and harvesting during hands-on gardening time. In the provided class workbook, there's a section for children to track weekly plant growth and receive reminders for garden chores. The workbook also summarizes key elements of the weekly classes and allows families to accomplish the lessons on their own time if needed.
