[North Side, Grand Cayman, ] – The Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park
with the help of Greenlight Re and Vigoro Nursery boasts the
completion of its Grow
Zone – the
second finished feature of the Children’s Garden which is currently
under development. 

The Grow Zone is an
area made up ofeight
structured raised bed planters. These planters are generally easier
to maintain and will allow young gardeners to spend more time
learning in the garden, rather than struggling with challenges like
difficult soil conditions and weeds.

Botanic
Park staff hope students who visit will take away important
horticultural information such as the lifecycle of a plant, insects
and pollination, and the needs of a plant including water, light, and
temperature.

“Concepts
learned while gardening can also help children to develop a respect
and responsibility for taking care of our environment,” said
Botanic Park manager John Lawrus.

The
Grow Zone is large enough to accommodate several visiting school
groups. “They will have an area which they can call their own and
through lessons taught in the Rotary Schoolhouse by teachers and
members of the Botanic Park staff, children can learn all of the
basics of growing plants,” said Mr. Lawrus.

“We
would like to thank Greenlight Re for providing the necessary support
for the Grow Zone to be completed. Greenlight Re has been with us
from the very early stages of the Children’s Garden, and we
sincerely appreciate their commitment to our project and the entire
community. Vigoro Nursery donated their time and provided materials
at cost. They have done a terrific job with the planter
installation,” said Mr. Lawrus.

“Vigoro
Nursery has also donated greatly to the Grow Zone including all the
time and planning, with much of the labour being provided at cost as
well as donating the perimeter landscape and various aspects in each
component to see it all through,” he added.

“Working closely with Vigoro Nursey
and helping the Botanic Garden team realize its vision has been
extremely rewarding for us at Greenlight Re. We look forward to
seeing children enjoy the Grow Zone as they learn more about our
environment and how to care for it,” said Faramarz Romer from
Greenlight Re.

Studies
have shown that outdoor play promotes a child’s motor skills and
overall strength for a more fit body, as well a assisting a child to
stay calm and focused. “Being immersed in the electronic age, I
feel all children could benefit from a little more physical activity
and learning through physical play, and we really think this is
what the entire Children’s Garden will achieve when completed,”
he said. 

Mr.
Lawrus also believes if Cayman’s children participate in gardening,
the fruits and vegetables they grow and eat will have a positive
effect on their own bodies. “Kids love to get their hands and
feet in the dirt and by providing a place for it at the Botanic Park,
we hope to strengthen a child’s immunity and overall health.
Healthy plants lead to healthy eating and a healthy child,” he
expressed.  

The Botanic Park offers resident rates of CI$5 for adults, free
admission for children under 12 and seniors over 60.

If you would like more information about this topic, please contact
Mr. Lawrus on 947-9462 or email manager@botanic-park.ky

Photo 1:
Vigoro staff install
framed planters to create the Grow Zone.

Photo 2: Soil
being added to planters in Grow Zone inside the Children’s Garden.

Photo 3: Blue Iguana pays a visit to Vigoro staff

Photo 4: Vigoro staff level sandy areas in Grow Zone

More about the Queen
Elizabeth II Botanic Park

The Queen Elizabeth II Botanic
Park, an attraction managed by the Tourism Attraction Board, is open
Monday to Sunday from 9:00AM to 4:30PM. Boasting over 65 acres of
natural woodland and feature gardens, the Park is home to an
abundance of wildlife including many of the islands' 56 species of
butterfly, native birds, the Cayman Parrot and the endangered Cayman
Blue Iguana. With multiple floral gardens, woodland trails, wetlands,
a lake and over 60 species of palm trees, there is so much to do and
see at the Botanic Park.

The Park which was originally
designed to show and preserve the Cayman Islands' native flora and
fauna - as well as to promote education, conservation and recreation
– now has over 30,000 visitors each year, many of whom come to
enjoy the tranquility, culture and natural beauty that abounds in
this hidden treasure. The Heritage Garden is a beautiful celebration
of the islands and the traditional Caymanian way of life.

The Botanic Park offers resident
rates of CI$5 for adults, and free admission for children under 12,
and seniors over 60.

If you would like more
information about this topic, please contact Mr. John Lawrus on
947-9462, email manager@botanic-park.ky
or check out the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park social media pages
https://www.facebook.com/QEIIBotanicPark/
or https://www.instagram.com/qeiibotanicpark/