The Gardens on Spring Creek offer February and March classes and activities

By Korrie Johnston

It’s not too early to think about gardening. The Gardens at Spring Creek offers a month of full of classes and activities for adults and children.

Adult Classes

Making Ricotta Cheese: A fun introduction to making your own fresh, creamy homemade ricotta. It is easier than you can imagine and so decadent, you will never go back to store bought. Material list, instruction, and ample tastings provided. Instructor: Connie Meyer, Urban Overalls.
Saturday, February 10; 10 a.m.-Noon; $30

Intensive Vegetable Gardening in Small Spaces: Learn how to transform your small space into productive plot. We will discuss including material on location, raised bed construction, soil, and the four intensive methods: succession, interplanting, four square, and vertical gardening. Learn how to create a successful design that takes into consideration seasonality, light, water, nutrient, space, and how different vegetable with different needs can fit together into a small space. Instructor: Susan Bonsall, Larimer County Master Gardener.
Saturday, February 10; 1-3 p.m.; $18

Turf Selection, Installation and Maintenance Demystified: In this introductory class we will cover the ins and outs of installing and maintaining healthy and sustainable turf grass. You will leave with a better understanding of how to best select the turf grass to meet your needs, the installation process by seed or sod (including the City of Fort Collins recommended process) and successful maintenance strategies. Ample time will be provided for Q&A.
Instructor: Jason Brown, Summit Lawn and Landscape
Saturday, February 17; 10 a.m.-Noon;$18

Tasting Teas of the World: Explore the wonders of tea with George Grossman, Chief Leafster, Happy Lucky’s Teahouse. Together, we will sample five types of tea (white, green, oolong, black, and pu-er), and learn about the varied production techniques and growing regions that make each type unique. We will also discuss brewing methods and answer questions. Instructor: George Grossman, Chief Leafster, Happy Lucky’s Teahouse.
Saturday, February 17; 1-3 p.m.; $25

Grow Your Own Veggies
Create your own food-producing gardens at home. Get tips on garden size, site selection, container possibilities, choosing seeds and transplants. Learn how and when to plant, tend and harvest your garden. Plant lists will be provided and our Plant Sale showstoppers highlighted. Instructor: Mary Miller, Gardens on Spring Creek.
Saturday, February 24; 10 a.m.-Noon; $18

Youth Programs

Jan Kroeger reading to children at Spring Creek Gardens

Read & Seed:  Story time plus an educational and fun hands-on activity. This program will help your child develop school readiness skills of early language comprehension and fine motor skills while encouraging creativity, curiosity and exploration of the natural world. This is a parent/caregiver participation class. $3 per child. Drop-in; Registration not required. Class is not discountable.

Monday, 10:00 – 10:45 a.m. and 11:00 – 11:45 a.m.
Tuesday, 10:00 – 10:45 a.m. and 11:00 – 11:45 a.m.

February Schedule & Story Book

Week of Feb 5: Little White Ducks  Featured book: I’m A Duck by Teri Sloat
Week of Feb 12: Veggie Stamped Valentines  Featured book: Maybe Something Beautiful by Isabel Campoy
Week of Feb 20: Spring Tulips (No class 2/19)  Featured book: My Garden by Kevin Henkes
Week of Feb 26: Snow Goggles  Featured book: It’s Winter by Linda Glaser

School’s Out Day Camps is open for Friday, March 2!  This day camp is for children in 1st – 5th grade. Pack a lunch and come spend a day investigating gardening, pollinators, harvesting, cooking, and exploring the natural world here at The Gardens. 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. $55 per child; scholarships are available.  Pre-registration is required. Call 970-416-2486, drop in at The Gardens, or register online. Limited availability. Register today!

Limited Spaces for Spring Break Camp – Calling all Garden Imagineers: It is time to take a break from school and get creative! This week, your garden inventors will explore the magical world of plants and imagine solutions to a new real-world challenge each day. Through hands-on experiential activities set in the Gardens’ fun maker space, students will use science, technology, engineering, art and math, to imagine and build their own creations.  Geared for ages 5-11 years;  Dates: March 12-16;  Monday-Friday.

Half Day Camp: Morning Session: 9 a.m.- Noon; $135 Limited spaces available

Full Day Camp: 9 a.m.– 4 p.m.; $250 Limited spaces available

Lunchtime for Half Day Campers: Register Here (optional)
Does your half day camper need to come early or stay late? Pack and bring a cold lunch and stay at The Gardens for supervised fun in the Children’s Garden from Noon-1 p.m. for an additional $20 for the week.

Parents Note: Summer Camp registration will begin March 1.

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