In celebration of Landscape Architecture Month and Earth Day, on April 22 Sarah Vallis Pietila, President of the Bermuda Association of Landscape Architects, led a group of about a dozen children between the ages of two and eight years and accompanying adults around the Botanical Gardens. The walk was sponsored by the Bermuda Association of Landscape Architects.

Mrs. Pietila said: "We want to get the children more involved, so that they may have an interest in taking care of the environment."

Eight-year-old Luke, and brothers Eli (two years old) and Enoch (six years old) Richardson along with the other children learned a lot of new things.

The children saw many exotic plants on the walk, like the Sensitive Plant whose leaves close when you touch it. The Monkeys' Dinner Bell was another plant, and it is unique because the fruits on the tree explode when they are ripe, alerting monkeys to the fact that the edible seeds are now accessible. No one could forget how that tree's bark was extra spiny. At the end of the walk the children were exhausted and full of knowledge.

In the Crafts Centre they had a story read to them by Lucy Hollis. Her story was titled "The Forgotten Forest" and was written by Laurence Anholt. Everyone loved the story so much they asked for another, so Mrs. Pietila read them "The Enormous Turnip" by Jen Lewis.

At the end of the day, the children enjoyed a cup of iced tea, and were each given two lettuce plants to take home and care for.

Mrs. Pietila said: " This year's group was a success. We had a lot more children this year than last year. With this programme we are hoping to get a lot more children interested in taking care of our Earth."