Museum to Plant Garden at Mall

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — Children will be getting their hands dirty Tuesday, March 17, at 11 a.m. as they plant the first Museum of Discovery (MOD) Children’s Garden indoors at the Capitola Mall. The garden will be planted next to the fountain, in the mall’s atrium.

Children have been working for weeks to sprout seeds in the museum’s “Plant Power!” class, led every Tuesday morning by biologist Karie Heinecke. Radishes, broccoli, and beans are among the plants they have grown and will plant in the garden.

Plants were also donated by the UC Santa Cruz Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food, with additional donations by The Garden Company and Good Shepherd School.

The garden will focus on three different kinds of the plants: edibles, flowers, and drought-tolerant succulents. Many of the plants chosen — such as coral bells (heuchera), dinosaur kale (lacinato kale), begonias, impatiens and strawberry mint — are also shade tolerant.

“The Museum of Discovery is always trying to sprout new learners,” said Patrice Keet executive director of the museum. “Working with the natural world lets children understand how food is grown and how plants live. It ties in with our agricultural heritage here in Santa Cruz County.”

The garden will be maintained with the help of the MOD Children’s Gardening Club. The club will also meet Friday, March 20, at 4:30 p.m. to create stepping stones for the new garden, as well as check on the plants.

ABOUT THE SANTA CRUZ CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF DISCOVERY

The Santa Cruz Children’s Museum of Discovery, an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit located in the Capitola Mall, aims to delight, inspire and challenge children by providing an exciting and interactive learning environment. The museum has 8,000-plus square feet of exhibits, classrooms and store space. Its hands-on exhibits bring learning to life by showcasing the wonders of Santa Cruz County: the place where the ocean meets the redwoods, where technology meets recreation, where agriculture meets health. Since opening in November 2014, more than 10,000 children and adults have visited.

The Santa Cruz Children’s Museum of Discovery, located at 1855 41st Avenue in Capitola, is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission to the museum is $7 adults 18 and older, $5 children ages 2 to 17, and free for children under the age of 2. Learn more by visiting www.sccmod.org