Our Programs
Horticultural Therapy
Horticultural Therapy (HT) engages people in gardening and plant-based activities to promote well-being and rehabilitation. A growing body of research shows that HT provides many physical, mental, and emotional benefits. Bullington Gardens uses HT to improve the lives of both children and adults in our community.
Based in the therapy garden and greenhouse, this program offers plant-based activities to Henderson County Public Schools students with special needs as a means of skill development, rehabilitation and wellness. Students tend their own gardens, make nature crafts and enjoy the gardens and grounds on a weekly basis.
Bullington Gardens’ trained Horticultural Therapists also work with clients at three behavioral health facilities in our area, as a complementary therapy to enhance recovery and rehabilitation, help clients build new skills, and provide opportunities for joy and creative expression.
BOOST
BOOST (Bullington Onsite Occupational Skills Training) is a program for sophomores in the Occupational Course of Study in all four Henderson County Public High Schools. BOOST cultivates pre-vocational skills such as time management, respectful communication, process planning, and collaboration as students work on the trails, gardens and grounds. The culminating activity is a garden competition where students design, budget, grow plants and install a garden based on their chosen theme. The Best Garden (as judged by community leaders) is awarded at an end-of school year celebration, along with awards for Most Valuable Workers from each school.
Elementary School Programs
Inspire and engage your students, and bring any subject to life at Bullington Gardens!
The living laboratories of Bullington's gardens and natural areas contextualize concepts, foster curiosity, and offer unparalleled opportunity to explore science, art, social studies, and more!
School programs are standards-aligned, interactive, hands-on experiences led by experienced, enthusiastic educators. Plant Explorations, Garden Math, Life Cycles, Soil Studies, Wildlife Interactions and more! Contact our Education Coordinator, Rosie Reeves, to discuss the possibilities!
Guided visits are free of charge for Henderson County Public Schools.
For charter, private, or out-of-county public schools, guided programs are $8 per student.
SYMBOLIC MONARCH MIGRATION
Although monarch butterflies born in the summer will live only a few weeks, the generation that emerges in late summer and early fall is different. These butterflies are born to migrate and may live up to eight or nine months. From the Hendersonville area, their epic journey to Mexico covers at least 2,000 miles. Like clockwork, the first migrating monarchs typically reach their overwintering habitats high in the mountains of central Mexico by the first of November.
The annual international Symbolic Monarch Migration education program mimics the monarchs’ journey by engaging more than 10,000 children from across the United States and Canada in creating paper butterflies to send to students in Mexico. As the real-life monarchs arrive in Mexico for the winter, the symbolic paper butterflies will also be delivered to schools surrounding the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. Sometime in spring after the living monarchs’ departure from Mexico, groups of paper butterflies will also return north, carrying special messages from the students in Mexico. United by the monarch butterfly, children across North America learn authentic lessons of conservation and cooperation.
Meet our Horticultural Therapy Team.
These ladies give their heart and soul to their students. They are warm, caring, smart and funny.
Bullington is so grateful to have them as dedicated team members. caring teachers, and good friends.
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Isaac Wyatt
Education Coordinator
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Dianne Prohn
Teacher Extraordinaire-part of the Horticultural Therapy educational team.
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Carol Redmon
Teacher Extraordinaire-part of the Horticultural Therapy educational team.
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Suzanne Wodek
Teacher Extraordinaire-part of the Horticultural Therapy educational team.
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Debbi Lanier
Teacher Extraordinaire-part of the Horticultural Therapy educational team.
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Vive DeTeresa
Teacher Extraordinaire-part of the Horticultural Therapy educational team.
Self-Guided Activities
Students and families love to explore Bullington Gardens. Here are some self-guided educational materials to learn more about our garden.
ecoEXPLORE at Bullington Gardens!
ecoEXPLORE (Experiences Promoting Learning Outdoors for Research and Education) is an incentive-based citizen science program for children in grades K-8. Developed by The North Carolina Arboretum, this innovative program combines science exploration with kid-friendly technology to foster a fun learning environment for children while encouraging them to explore the outdoors and participate in citizen science.
What is citizen science?
Citizen Science encourages volunteers of any age to collect and submit scientific information to real life scientists, which will assist in their research and data analysis. Scientists around the world need help collecting data. By becoming a citizen scientist, participants can help professional scientists understand changes in the environment and see how these changes impact plants, animals and other natural resources.
How to EXPLORE
See It!
After signing up online, participants go outside in their own backyard or at designated ecoEXPLORE HotSpots to find wildlife species, including plants, reptiles, amphibians, insects and birds.
Snap It!
Participants can use their own device – or check out an iPod Touch at a participating LoanSpot location – and photograph their wildlife observation, noting the data, location, time, size and species observed.
Share It!
Participants then log into their ecoEXPLORE profile online and submit their “share” or observation. Arboretum staff will then review the data and submit all approved submissions to the iNaturalist Network, which is used by real scientists!
Look for the ecoEXPLORE sign on the grounds and join the fun!