Growing Engagement: “Meet a Gardener” Series 

🌿 A hands-on family education program rooted in sustainability, informal learning, and inclusive audience experience.

🗂 Project Snapshot

• - Program: Meet a Gardener: Kitchen Garden
• - Client: The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens
• - Role: Evaluation Manager
• - Location: Kitchen Garden, San Marino, California

🎯 Project Overview

As Evaluation Manager, I assessed Meet a Gardener: Kitchen Garden, an informal, drop-in education program. Designed to engage multigenerational audiences in sustainable gardening practices, the series invited visitors into the Kitchen Garden for live Q&As, interactive demonstrations, and hands-on activities. The evaluation focused on visitor learning, flow, and engagement in an open, outdoor setting.

🌼 Garden Experience

Participants explored a rotating set of topics, including:

• - The role of pollinators in ecosystem health
• - Pest management and organic gardening tips
• - Seasonal rhythms and sustainable care practices

Sessions also included:

• - Arts and crafts activities for children
• - Guided tours that highlighted the garden’s plant diversity
• - Opportunities to engage with tools, composting techniques, and tactile learning materials

🕒 Session Structure

Each experience featured a 20-minute live talk followed by a 20-minute Q&A, repeated throughout the day. This modular format allowed visitors to:

• - Drop in at their convenience
• - Ask questions directly to the gardeners
• - Share personal gardening experiences
• - Engage on their own terms and schedule

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Audience Engagement

The program attracted a diverse and multigenerational audience—including:

1. - Families with young children
2. - Seniors and intergenerational caregivers
3. - Gardening-curious individuals and cultural members on repeat visits

Visitors valued the chance to:

• - Learn informally in a casual, welcoming space
• - Engage directly with experts
• - Explore the garden with creative agency and personal relevance

🌱 Takeaway

This project demonstrated how informal, outdoor programming can deepen connection between institutions and the communities they serve. It reinforced the importance of accessible, family-friendly learning grounded in interaction, movement, and nature.