As the chickadees buzz in and out of the blossoming redbud branches hanging overhead and the plants sprout so fast you can almost watch them grow, it is the youngest visitors that draw my attention.

After emerging from a class in which their tiny hands gingerly plucked apart a flower to study each part, the young scientists are released into the garden, where learning seems to explode.  A group of preschoolers perch on the rocks in an effort to see every detail of the bullfrog just inches away. One child flits from place to place at the speed of a flycatcher, while another sits still and examines the texture of each plant within reach.  Yet another keeps approaching for help identifying the call of robins, cardinals and woodpeckers.

In this busy time of year, I am constantly reminded that although the garden is beautiful this time of year, perhaps the most important thing blooming is the mind of the child.

Stephanie Morris, Naturalist, Glenwood Gardens