Review: Beech Creek Botanical Garden & Nature Preserve

Butterfly kisses are real at the Beech Creek Butterfly House as an American Painted Lady flutters by your cheek. The Botanical Garden Association achieves its mission to inspire people to protect and create habitats for butterflies, moths, and related plants by providing an engaging, interactive, and educational environment.

In the Butterfly House, you may walk the gardens and discover Ohio’s native butterflies, moths, and skippers in all stages of their life cycles. It is hard not to smile when a Monarch butterfly lands on your shoulder. The little boy in you may be fascinated by the caterpillars clinging to a plant leaf or the tiny moth eggs and fragile butterfly wings offered to view under a microscope. Friendly volunteers are close by to point out different species and offer a Q-tip for you to dip in sugar water. If lucky, you may entice an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly to land on your Q-tip for closer inspection.

Lush gardens surround the Butterfly House, including a sensory garden. You can touch, smell, hear, and experience plants that stimulate your senses. Your hands will smell lemony fresh after touching the Lemon Grass. You may think of suntan oil after smelling the Coconut Geraniums.

Currently, the Botanical Garden Association is working to complete the Amazing Garden, A Planet Exploratorium. Children and adults alike stop to watch the earth train run the tracks of the Railroad Garden.

For those that like to stretch their legs before heading home, the Fern Ridge Trail is open year round and offers a beautiful walk through woodlands and meadow. It is approximately one mile in length and includes a bridge that crosses a creek. Tree identification signs help you learn about the different trees growing there.

What I like about the Program:

1) The Butterfly House and The Amazing Garden are enclosed, so weather will not ruin your visit.
2) The science and plant education is provided in hands on, easy to understand displays.
3) Fern Ridge Trail is easy to manage as trail signs are clearly marked.
4) There are picnic tables available in case you wish to pack a picnic lunch.
5) The Butterfly House and Amazing Gardens are handicap accessible.

What I would change about the program:

Build Restroom Facilities to include hand washing and diaper changing stations. Currently, Portable Potties are available outside the Butterfly House.

Tips:

Wear sturdy shoes if planning to hike the Fern Ridge Trail. Although it is possible to push a stroller down the path, it is not paved.
Bring water and hand sanitizer.

Beech Creek Botanical Garden & Nature Preserve is located at:
11929 Beech Street, NE, Alliance, OH 44601.
Phone: 330-829-7050
www.bcbgarden.org

Hours are posted July 6th thru September 13, 2009 as :
Monday thru Saturday 10:00am – 4:00pm
Sundays 12:00pm – 5:00pm.

The Amazing Garden is open
Monday – Saturday 10:00am – 4:00pm
and Sunday 12-5pm from February to mid December.

Admission is free – donations are welcome.

Reviewer: Maria, parent of two children 5 and under.