The Brooklyn Botanic Garden Children’s Gardening Program: It’s Meaning and Impact on Adult Alumni

This study documented how six alumni participants of Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Children’s Gardening Program (BBG’S CGP) described and made meaning of their experience as child participants in the program. Phenomenological interviewing was used to collect data from the six participants. Half of the participants were interviewed in person while the others were telephone interviewed. All interviews were transcribed and names and places have been changed to protect the anonymity of participants. Data analysis was conducted using the Inductive Data Analysis and the Typological Analysis described by Hatch (2002). Three major themes emerged from this analysis: (1) childhood development and learning experience, 2) BBG’S CGP impact on adulthood, and 3) the meaning of the CGP and BBG. Participants acknowledged acquiring childhood development and learning skills that continue to impact them as adults. For example, they acknowledged that they learned horticultural knowledge in the CGP and how they continue to use that knowledge in hobbies such as gardening and cooking. In addition, participants applied meaning to their CGP experiences. They reflected on aspects of the CGP that contributed to their positive experience as well as how aspects of BBG contributed to their experience. For participants to recall activities and events from their experiences in the CGP, as much as 67 years after participation underscores the importance of children’s gardening programs. The value that the alumni participants hold for the CGP due to the positive influence and impact upon their lives is important information in documenting the significant role that a children’s gardening program can have in the lives of its participants.