Growing through Learning at The Gardens
The Gardens at SIUE is a beautiful academic resource, offering unique learning tools for exploring art, history, engineering and much more.
The Gardens collaborates with many campus and community groups to provide and support a variety of nature-based opportunities for visitors.
Campus Connections
The Gardens at SIUE provides cross-curricular opportunities for students through multiple disciplines including: art and design, biological sciences, construction management, information systems and education.
Community Connections
The Gardens at SIUE welcomes all visiting groups for a variety of classes, events and self-guided walks. Classroom groups are especially welcome! Contact us for assistance in organizing a visit. We have self-guided tour materials available at several class levels.
Girl and Boy Scout troops are also welcome to visit The Gardens for an after-school or summer program specially tailored to help the Scouts earn a badge. During this hands-on, indoor/outdoor program, Master Gardener and Master Naturalist volunteers will work with your troop to fulfill the requirements for the badges. We can also assist troop leaders in setting up Eagle Scout and Gold Award projects.
Classes
There is much to discover in The Gardens at SIUE! We offer nature-based classes for all ages across a variety of subjects. An outdoor classroom with a variety of habitats to explore, our gardens are a beautiful place to study, socialize and learn something new with friends and family.
Adult Outreach
The Gardens at SIUE offers seasonal gardening classes for adult learners at The Gardens Center.
SIUE faculty, our Master Gardener and Master Naturalist volunteers, and community gardener’s local experts enjoy sharing information and ideas across gardening topics from annual plant selection to container gardening, tree care, composting, pruning and landscape planning. Class offerings are found on The Gardens Facebook page each season.
Children and Family
- The Gardens at SIUE is a beautiful place to enjoy with children. Each season brings something new, and we encourage families to explore the many areas of The Gardens.
- Climb wooden structures in our Family Garden.
- Play our unique outdoor xylophone.
- Discover a fabulous stone circle in the Council Ring.
- Tromp over the Turtle Pond Bridge.
- Take cover in the Water Stone sculpture which offers shade in the summer and can be a wondrous snow fort in the winter.
Self-Guided Opportunities
The Gardens’ meandering .5 mile walking path takes visitors through a variety of manicured gardens and natural areas. There is much to explore!
Ecology in The Gardens; A Walking Tour of The Gardens at SIUE - a fun, new, self-guided exploration tool for families and kids of all ages. Visitors can stop by The Gardens Center to pick up a laminated copy and exploration backpack to use on site.
