Fellow's Riverside Garden - Children's Garden

Project details

In 2022, Russell + Mills Studios initiated a project to design a new Children's Garden at Fellows Riverside Garden in Youngstown, Ohio, under Mill Creek MetroParks. The one-acre garden will feature immersive experiential rooms that engage children with plants and nature, fostering curiosity and respect for biodiversity.

The design encompasses six components: sensory, wonder room, harvest, forest, and stream gardens, all geared toward enjoyment for children and adults. A central hummock lawn will emulate glacial formations, encouraging exploration.

My role involved critical tasks such as researching plant selections for ecological suitability and safety, particularly regarding toxicity and collaborating with the team to finalize construction plans. I also developed details for 'living walls' and drafted landscape construction specifications and a comprehensive Estimate of Probable Cost to support grant funding efforts for this transformative project.

Results

The Children's Garden at Fellows Riverside Garden was an exciting project to be part of. Currently, the Garden is reviewing the 95% construction drawing package and is awaiting grant funding approvals before beginning construction..