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Families learn about growing flowers and vegetables in summer program

By Clayton Baumgarth

Posted May 16, 2025

The garden plot families will be working in during the program. (Alaina Davis/WTIU News)

Hilltop Garden and Nature Center’s free Family Gardening program kicked off this week.

Participants receive weekly gardening instruction through hands-on management of a garden plot to grow vegetables and flowers through 2025.

Lea Woodard, manager of Hilltop Gardens, said the program is a great opportunity for parents and kids to work together on a summer project.

“Young kids love just digging in the soil and finding worms and bugs,” she said. “And then the parents hopefully are learning about how to garden at home. And really that's our goal, is that when they leave the program, they feel more confident to actually start a garden.”

Hilltop takes about 18 families for the program, and this year’s spots are filled. All tools and seeds needed are provided to participants. IU sponsors the program with support from the Monroe County Master Gardner Association and the Bloomington Garden Club.

Woodard hopes that families come away with a new appreciation for food systems and the work it takes to maintain them.

“It's easy to just go to the grocery store and buy your food and take it to the table and eat it, and then you don't really think about like, where it's coming from and what we need to do protect our planet, to be able to grow more healthy food for healthy bodies,” she said.

For those interested in signing up for next year’s program, it begins in mid-May 2026 and concludes in early August, depending on weather.