Kentucky Children's Garden Info: An Overview

Link to the official website for the Kentucky Children's Garden.

View from entrance

Visiting the Kentucky Children's Garden

After hearing about the KY Children's Garden, located at the Arboretum in Lexington, I tried to check it out online before taking my daughter. Unfortunately, there isn't much information available. I've posted a link to the official website. My goal is to put together a basic guide for potential visitors, so they have some idea of what to expect.

Pictures included here were shot in early April 2016. Weather, foliage, and features change, of course. First things first--I pulled the "map" from the official website, and added some notes to it, for sake of reference:

Image source https://arboretum.ca.uky.edu/gardens/childrens

Some brief descriptions, starting from the entrance, counterclockwise:

Look out/Goldenrod; looks out at the water tower
Rock house
Sand box; archaeology theme
Creek; running through much of the garden, this section is shallow and intended for children to play in and splash; be ready to get wet!
Pond; bridge
Grass hut
Log cabin; this is an elaborate sandbox, in and out of the cabin. Cast iron tools, wash tub, clothes line, and a little garden outside the door
Overlook; there is a telescope here to look at the entire garden
Boat dock, boat, pond; play on a boat! The pond has small fish, invertebrates, and insects living in an around the water; children encouraged to get their hands into it all
Spider sculpture; footpath laid out before the sculpture. The prairie exhibit is behind this area
Butterfly garden; garden area with pavers running through it.
Raised garden beds; vegetables grown here, with demonstrations and activities
Not depicted on the map (yet), but there is an model train that runs on a track through a corner of the garden. The train runs for an hour at a time, different times through the day

Location

Located at the Arboretum on Alumni Dr., Lexington, KY (between Tates Creek Rd. and Nicholasville Rd., map here: https://goo.gl/maps/DH882jKp5Lx) the children's garden is adjacent to the water tower. From the parking lot, facing the water tower, the Children's Garden is on the left, just past the end of the lot. There are restrooms located immediately outside the garden. Google maps shows this being at 900 South Limestone--this is not accurate.

Cost/Hours

As of April 2016, the cost is $3 each, or $10 for a family of 5. There is a $75 annual family pass available. Please check the official website for current information and hours.

Spring 2016, the garden is open 10-5 Thursday-Saturday, 1-5 Sunday.
Summer hours (June 1-Aug. 28) Wed-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5
Fall hours (Sept. 1-Oct. 30) 10-5 Thursday-Saturday, 1-5 Sunday
Closed on days of UK football games and for inclement weather. Please check the official website for more info.

Other information

No food is allowed inside, but the tickets are good all day (cone and go as necessary). There are some benches, but little in the way of shelter--come prepared for the weather. There is ample opportunity to get wet and dirty, dress appropriately. There is an admission shed at the entrance, and a handful of staff inside.

Overall impressions

The map I edited above is a general overview, but not fully inclusive. There is a gardening shed with interactive exhibits and a water-powered wheel, a dirt digging area with tools and wheelbarrows, demonstration areas, a sizeable lawn to run around on, trees, plants, and specimens, and wetland area. This garden is a great place for kids, mainly toddler to about 11 or 12 years of age. There are paved trails throughout, and pretty good accessibility built in.

The garden isn't very old, and has evolved significantly in the last few years. This would be a great place to just drop in for an hour or two during nice weather.

If you are local and have kids, or have kids visiting, this is a nice activity for part of a day. If you are visiting Lexington for a few days, with toddler to preteen kids, this is a good outdoor activity without having to travel to the far reaches of the county.