Enchanted Garden

Step into a tranquility and natural beauty realm, perfect for relaxation, meditation, or simply getting lost in a good book amidst lush greenery and blooming flowers.

Welcome to the HCLS Enchanted Garden!

Vision: Growing Healthy Habits

The Enchanted Garden’s primary focus is a teaching garden. We believe that young people often learn best through hands-on experiences. Adults can find inspiration in the variety of vegetables, fruits, herbs, perennials, shrubs, and trees growing in themed beds. Gardening offers opportunities to learn about food, nutrition, sustainable gardening practices, and wildlife.

What’s New?

Try out our newest outdoor education activity, a StoryWalk ®. HCLS has teamed up with Howard County Recreation and Parks and the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area (MPEA) to offer a new way to engage with nature and literature.

A StoryWalk® is a deconstructed children’s book made into signs placed along a trail where visitors can stroll and follow the story from page to page. Combine reading, physical activity, and family time outdoors while walking through meadows and forest.

A new StoryWalk® promoting environmental literacy will be featured at MPEA each season.

The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, Vermont and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library.

Take a StoryWalk®

The demonstration gardening area features a variety of vegetables, herbs, and flowers planted in raised beds and along the perimeter. The food we grow is donated to the Howard County Food Bank. Our spring bounty included lettuce, strawberries, broccoli, parsley, arugula, and radish weighing in at 38 pounds! With the help of Master Gardeners and volunteers our summer vegetable beds, edible landscape and pizza garden look just as promising. Stay tuned for information about upcoming harvests!

Enchanted Garden Certifications

The Enchanted Garden design reflects our environmental sustainability goals and compliments the LEED Gold certification of the branch building. Pathway materials are permeable, and the rain garden, rain barrels, and bioswale slow stormwater runoff.

Composting along with the native plantings represent some of the sustainable components chosen purposefully for the garden. Throughout the garden you will find informational signs that describe the purpose and benefits of sustainable gardening practices. The Enchanted Garden has earned several certifications thanks to the efforts of youth gardeners, Master Gardeners, and community volunteers.

More Enchanted Garden Information

If you are interested in the plants found in the Enchanted Garden, this Field Guide introduces you to their properties and beneficial uses. You may also borrow this guide in printed form at the Miller Branch customer service desk for use while you visit the garden.

View Field Guide

Visit the Enchanted Garden and experience nature with Explorer Packs for families. Each pack contains a seasonal self-guided activity and supplies. Available at the Children’s Research Desk.

Try out Explorer Packs, available for check out for use in our Enchanted Garden. Each garden season a new theme is introduce. Packs include a self-guided activity that invites participants to use their senses, to explore the garden and report their discoveries in words and or pictures.

Volunteers, Clubs, and Classes

The Enchanted Garden is a community-based teaching garden and we are thankful for the partnership and support of many organizations and individuals that have collaborated with HCLS. University of Maryland Extension Master Gardeners volunteer hundreds of hours to support our youth classes and to maintain our garden. Master Gardeners host Ask A Master Gardener and Compost Demonstrations during the growing season. Check out our class calendar for times and dates. Garden Clubs from Howard County donate funds, volunteer in youth garden classes and help plan and plant new garden beds.

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Volunteer

The Tween Sprouts (ages 9 – 11) is temporarily suspended. The Enchanted Garden Youth Corps is open to teens, ages 12-16. Check out our classes and events for garden related opportunities.

Community Partners

Cross Country Garden Club Howard County Garden Club UMD Extension Howard County Master Gardeners If you have any questions, please contact: Erica Coady, Enchanted Garden Instructor erica.coady@hclibrary.org