Tamarack Nature Center is so many things to so many people!
What everyone can agree on is that spending time in Nature is good for our bodies and our minds.
Tamarack Lake, a short walk from the Nature Center Visitor Center
From gardens and nature play areas to bird watching, maple sugaring and preschool- Tamarack Nature Center (TNC) is a true gem for the Twin Cities nature lover. There are roughly five miles of trails meandering through the 320 acres of widely varied landscapes. You can walk through old growth maple stands, skirt a swamp, round a lake and parade through lots of prairie.
There is also one of the Twin Cities’ largest and most engaging nature play areas, “Discovery Hollow” including a natural waterscape, a log and stick play area, hobbit house and a huge climbing wall with built in caves and sand pit.
As any gardener knows, Mother Nature and her weather are really the ones in charge of how our gardens grow. We are forever wondering, will we get that April snowstorm…?
Thinking about the weather and how it affects everything from crop timing, to which insects buzz through it, to how much water we need to supplement is something I respect more each year!
Globally, our weather is also changing at an alarming rate. Both temperatures and the number of erratic weather events are on the rise. These are but the tip of the melting iceberg of how weather touches every aspect of the garden process.
I hope that as more people dig in to gardening as a hobby and passion, we’ll reach our tipping point. We’ll both love all kinds of weather AND care for our earth in ways that will leave it in good shape for future generations!
Growing Gardeners
I believe that the way to ensure our future generations take good care of the earth is to simply get them out into nature so they can fall in love with it! Let’s get kids exploring, asking questions and simply being outside in a snowstorm or on a hot steamy day and everything in between…
Sarah Nelson, my dear friend and children’s book author, has recently released a group of books, I Like the Weather. This set of picture books introduces children to the joys of different weather with upbeat rhymes and intriguing back matter. Below, Sarah shares her thoughts on how our relationship with weather can change us, and our relationship with our gardens for the better. Enjoy!
