For-Mar Garden Exploration Space

Step into a place where curiosity grows. The Garden Exploration Space invites nature lovers of all ages to slow down, dig in, and discover how plants, insects, and people are connected. Designed for hands-on learning and open-ended play, this living space encourages visitors to explore with their senses, ask questions, and experience nature up close.

The Garden Exploration Space is open during For-Mar operating hours, 8 am to sunset. Visit at your leisure or attend an active gardening program. The gardens within the Garden Exploration Space serve as demonstrations of techniques that can be copied and used in your backyard or patio.

Join a Gardening Program in the Garden Exploration Space!

Available May-September

Program Calendar

Ten raised beds give an extra inch to folks who find ground-level gardening difficult. The themes of these beds change annually. A consistent pattern is the plants in these gardens can be eaten, or touched, or smelled, or are beneficial to insects. Sometimes all of those at once!

The in-ground garden beds are nestled in red clover, a low-mow alternative to traditional turf grass. These garden beds also have rotating themes. When you visit, you’re welcome to investigate these beds for ripe produce, aromatic herbs, flashy flowers, or helpful insect neighbors!

Also in the Garden Exploration Space: a storage shed, water cistern for watering plants, a Pebble Harp, imaginative play area, and benches.