With gardens waking up from the winter slumber, Inverness Botanic Gardens are hosting a month-long self-led spring trail for young children and their families.
Spring Scramble runs from Thursday 28 March until Sunday 28 April (inclusive), involving a friendly Blackbird character and introduces other spring garden friends along the way. Families can pick up a trail activity booklet at the garden entrance and follow giant Blackbird footprints around the gardens in search of the lost eggs, which are scattered all around the garden.
Credit: Inverness Botanic Garden
As they go, kids find out about other wildlife in the garden and how plants and animals are waking up for spring. Once families have found all of Blackbird’s eggs and unscrambled the letters to reveal a secret spring word, each child will receive their very own spring reward for taking home and planting in their own garden.
Ewan Mackintosh, Inverness Botanic Gardens Manager, said: “We are delighted to offer a new family self-led trail this spring. We’re always keen to get people out and enjoying our gardens, to explore, have fun together and find out more about nature.
“After our Halloween family trail in the October holidays was so well received, we wanted to offer something similar for the Easter holidays too.” He explained: “Our Botanics Eco Explorers (BEEs), a group of 6 to 14-year-olds who meet once a month at the gardens, were involved at the early stages in coming up with ideas for the trail. We’re delighted they were the first to trial it and give us their thumbs up!”.
The High Life Highland operated gardens are open every day from 10am – 4pm. ‘Spring Scramble’ is suitable for ages 3+ and a suggested donations of £3 are welcomed to help Inverness Botanic Gardens continue to grow their gardens, their people, and the transformative activities they offer.