What’s Your Garden Type? The 4 Types of Gardens

Transforming any outdoor space into something different can be overwhelming.  Several years ago, our community at my children’s elementary school embarked on the transformation of an old courtyard into an Outdoor Classroom. This experience led me to research the mechanics of Children’s Gardens. Absorbed in research, I discovered four “camps” of gardeners who focused on four distinctly different and separate ways of gardening. Getting curious, I quickly learned how a garden type can define the mission of an educator’s outdoor teaching practice.  This exercise brought the clarity we needed for choosing garden elements for our Cove School Outdoor Classroom design. Since embarking on that first transformation to establishing many more Teaching Gardens over the years, along with, The Secret Gardens demonstration Outdoor Classroom, it is safe to say, understanding the options using The 4 Types of Gardens is the perfect guide.

Want to transform your outdoor space into an Outdoor Classroom, but don’t know where to start? Begin with an understanding of your options and use the elements of The Four Types of Gardens. This strategy will open a world of possibilities. Let’s dive into your Outdoor Classroom design and outdoor teaching practice with our 5 easy steps.

Step 1: Understand the 4 Types of Gardens 

• Gardens That Feed are gardens that can be described as Edible Gardens or Vegetable Gardens. The focus of this garden is to teach children about nutrition and where our food comes from. These gardens offer captivating experiences for children to use their senses by looking at and tasting food they have grown themselves. 
• Gardens for Art and Beauty bring all ages together. These gardens include sculptures, plantings, and flowers. They contribute to the community and teach us how to integrate music, dance, poetry, storytelling, and painting into the outdoor garden experience.
• Gardens That Attract Wildlife incorporates food, shelter, water, sustainable practice, and places to raise young. They are havens for butterflies, bugs, and birds and can be certified by the National Wildlife Federation.
• Gardens as Outdoor Learning Stations are inspired by themes such as a Mud Kitchen, Rock Garden, Miniature Garden, Sensory Garden, Alphabet Garden, Water Wall and so many more. These gardens connect the curriculum to the Outdoor Classroom.

Step 3: Choose a garden type(s) that best fits your needs.

Depending on your outdoor space, time, and ability, you may choose one garden type over another. Explore each garden type along with all their garden elements. Get children involved in the process.

Step 4: Mix and match garden types and their elements until the desired outcome is reached.

Do you like to make ice-cream sundaes? I like to think of The Four Types of Gardens as flavors of ice cream and the garden elements as the toppings. For example, I could create a Garden that Attracts Wildlife with a Butterfly Garden. I would add plants that attract butterflies, a birdbath, and a butterfly house. If I created a Garden as an Outdoor Learning Station next to it, I might add a Word Garden featuring rocks with painted words on them where children could leave messages for their little animal friends. The possibilities are limitless. 

Step 5: Draw a sketch of your Outdoor Classroom using The Four Types of Gardens and all their elements 

You don’t need to be a landscape designer or an artist to sketch your outdoor classroom ideas on paper. Observe how children are using the space and use this information to influence the placement of your garden types and their elements.

This is an ideal recipe for getting started and taking your first steps toward making your own one-of-a-kind Outdoor Classroom. Remember, there are no wrong answers. Be prepared to fail a few times. Note: The magic ingredient is PLAYFUL LEARNING! 

Now I want to hear from you. Share your favorite type of garden in the comments below and your Outdoor Classroom Garden story with our Outdoor-Classroom Facebook Group.

Want to play with these ideas? The Seeds of Inspiration Card Deck is an idea generator for your Outdoor Classroom. The deck features photographs from The Four Types of Gardens with each card offering questions as prompts to guide your Outdoor Classroom design and nature-based curriculum outdoors..