Robin’s Nest Children’s Center Gets New Gardens

Robin’s Nest Children’s Center in Burlington received a special food garden grant from Lululemon Athletica this summer. On Aug. 16, a team of volunteers from the Vermont Community Garden Network, Lululemon’s Church Street store, and Robin’s Nest installed four raised beds and a bench.

Robin’s Nest serves infants through six-year-olds at the Old North End site.  The new garden beds will be used to grow vegetables, fruits and herbs for snacks, science exploration, and tastings.

All the materials – including lumber made out of recycled athletic gear – were provided by Lululemon, Red Wagon Plants donated dozens of perennial herbs and strawberries to get the gardens started, and VCGN coordinated the project.  An amazing team of volunteers fueled by Tomgirl Juice and Garuka Bars made fast work of preparing the site, assembling the raised beds, filling them with dirt, and weeding and sprucing up the playground.

The Robin’s Nest children and staff will plant a few late-season crops this summer and are eagerly planning their spring garden. Lululemon also awarded a second garden grant to the Sara Holbrook Community Center, which will receive two raised beds later this fall.

Gia was in charge of planting!

Donna had a great time weeding the playground.

The Westdijk family – Pete, Bart and Hilde – made a stellar raised-bed building team.

In addition to growing food, Robin’s Nest will use the new garden beds for science activities. Want to incorporate science exploration in your garden project? Check out the Garden Mosaics curriculum.