As you may recall, on April 29, 2020, the Kinston Police Department discovered the worst vandalism ever at the 16-year-old Children’s Garden on Lincoln Street. Damage to the storage building, sculptures, landscaping, irrigation system and theft of equipment greatly exceeded the previous eight incidents of vandalism. It rendered the Lincoln Street site unusable, left the Children’s Garden in limbo and has required its sponsors, Lenoir County Extension Master Gardeners, to search for a new home for this unique and valuable project.

You may not remember why the Children’s Garden was established and who benefitted from the program.

Every Wednesday morning for six weeks, 25 to 30 very excited K -2 children would walk over to the garden from Georgia K. Battle Community Center Summer Program. Home-schoolers, the RADD program and Boys and Girls campers were all welcome on other days also. Introduction to the week’s theme and new book was discussed in the “Walnut Circle,” named after the huge walnut tree. Activities included garden exploration, blueberries, seeds, vegetables, beneficial insects, the children’s role as caretakers of the environment, a connection between healthier eating and food grown in the garden – all while integrating science, engineering, art and math into the three hours.

In October was “Pumpkin Day”, an Autumn morning filled with fun activities in the garden, open to all families…and yes, some pumpkins to take home.

For many years those themes, lessons, supplies and crafts had been provided by the Master Gardeners. Raised beds built and filled with plants, rows plowed and planted, structures such as the “tree house,” Walnut Circle seating, the gazebo, potting bench and more were all donated by the community or funded by the Master Gardeners. Some structures were donated in memory of a loved one. Let’s not forget the Erase the Lines teens or Scout troops that would choose the garden as their service project. The entire program was funded and supported by the Master Gardener Volunteers. From one year to the next, we volunteers were always looking for new books and cool ideas to share with the next group of excited children.

Sadly, it only took a few hours for all that we had worked for to be destroyed by vandals. Even sadder, the destruction of what is still there, waiting to be moved, continues today.

As a committed group of volunteers, we hope to recreate the unique educational center that was the Children’s Garden. We are equipped with a proven “garden record,” a well-planned garden design, a wealth of knowledge and a successfully developed program.

But first we need a new site to call home, one that is highly visible to showcase this valuable program with easy access for children and adults alike in Lenoir County and beyond. This site would serve as a positive focal point in Lenoir County for years to come.

If you know of such a site in or near Kinston, please contact the Lenoir County Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Association @ 527-2191 or email peg_godwin@ncsu.edu.

We look forward to a new start.

Jeannie Holmes
NCEMGVA-Lenoir County                                              
Kinston