Education

You and your friends or students can learn about nature at Woodlands in a variety of ways.  Our favorite is simply walking the trails.

Partner organizations and schools use Woodlands Garden as a living classroom:

  • City Schools of Decatur fourth graders come to Woodlands to learn about Georgia flora and fauna, especially those in the Georgia Piedmont, meeting several Georgia Science Standards delivered through Garden-specific activities.
  • Preschoolers start volunteering early, with monthly service learning projects.
  • Georgia State plant biology students return every semester for fieldwork.
  • YMCA teens adopt areas of Woodlands and construct scavenger hunts for younger children.
  • Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts complete requirements for badges and for service projects through Eagle and Gold Award levels.
  • Garden clubs visit and tour our native plant and camellia collections.
  • Gardening volunteers, from the novice to the master gardener, gather on alternating Wednesdays to work in the garden, conduct workshops for the community and organize field trips to nearby gardens and parks.

To arrange for a group visit or school field trip, email to learn more at Annie@woodlandsgarden.org.

Conducting Classes and Workshops

We invite teachers to enhance their instruction by offering classes at Woodlands.  The teacher collects all fees and pays a rental fee to use the Pavilion.  Yoga, Qi Gong, Tai C’hi, flower arranging and nature photography workshops have been taught in our serene setting. See the Group Reservation Form and Rental Policy here. To arrange to teach a class or workshop at Woodlands, email annie@woodlandsgarden.org.

Hosting An Event

Contact Betsy McPherson, Event Rental Liaison, to inquire about renting Woodlands’ Lawn, screened Pavilion, or Visitor Center for a picnic, staff retreat, birthday party, memorial service, etc. There is more information on our Private Venue Rental page. 

Organizing a Field Trip

Field Trips at Woodlands Garden

At Woodlands Garden, we are passionate about education in nature! Throughout the year, we host schools, scouts and camp groups for field trips of many kinds. Partner organizations and schools use Woodlands Garden as a living classroom. Our team will work with you to create a field trip catered to your curriculum and classroom needs. For more information on types of field trips offered, continue reading below. With any questions, contact Annie O’Neill, Program Coordinator, at annie@woodlandsgarden.org.

In order to ensure the safety of you and your students, we require advanced communication and scheduling, completed in collaboration with Woodlands Garden staff. While the garden is open to the public daily, for field trips we must ensure that there is no overlap in groups or programs. Additionally, we often conduct maintenance and at times have machinery in the garden that is not safe for a large group of students. If you plan to bring a group of 10 or more to the garden, we require advanced communication, please complete the inquiry form below.

What to Expect

  • Why: To educate and engage the community in the natural world!
  • Who: School classes, camp groups, homeschool groups, & more! Reach out to us to see if we can accommodate your group.
  • What: An educational visit to Woodlands Garden, including a lesson aligned with an identified theme, activities, and time to explore the garden.
  • When: Visit our Calendly link to find a date that works for you. Submission of the Calendly serves as a request for a field trip on the date of your choosing, it does not guarantee that your field trip has been booked. After submission, a Woodlands Garden staff member will reach out to you via email with confirmation of the date.
  • Where: Woodlands Garden of Decatur at 932 Scott Blvd Decatur, GA 30030

Guidelines

Scheduling:

  • To find a time that works best for your group to come to the garden, please fill out the inquiry form below. Submission of the form will serve as a request for a field trip on the date of your choosing, it does not guarantee that your field trip has been booked. After submission, a Woodlands Garden staff member will reach out to you via email with confirmation and a partnership agreement form. Prior to your group’s visit to the garden, we will request a meeting with the organizer of the group. During this meeting, we will discuss the partnership agreement form, plans for the field trip, and other necessary logistical details.

Vehicle Policy:

  • Our parking capacity is limited at Woodlands Garden. Therefore, we ask that you communicate in advance about your group’s parking needs. In our lot, we have 25 parking spaces. Depending on the size of your group, we understand that you may arrive on buses. We are able to accommodate two full size buses in our lot and ask that buses are turned off while they wait for the group to complete the field trip. If this cannot be accommodated, we are happy to facilitate drop off and pick up, as well as direct buses to nearby locations where they can wait. 

Donations:

  • At Woodlands Garden, we aim to provide educational opportunities in nature that are accessible to all groups. We request a donation from each group that visits the garden for a field trip. We recommend a minimum donation of $6 per student, however, if this is not accessible, we are happy to discuss in further detail.

Field Trip Options

  • Garden Staff-Instructed Field Trips
    • This field trip will include a lesson and activity, facilitated by Woodlands Garden staff. The lesson and activity will be based on the theme and curriculum identified by the teacher or school and will be shared with teachers in advance of the visit to the garden. 
    • Location: Woodlands Garden
    • Duration: 1-2 hours
    • Number of Students: Up to 120
    • Number of Adults Required: 1:20 Adult to Student Ratio
  • Self-Guided Field Trips
    • Self-Guided Field Trips include a visit to the garden but do not include Woodlands Garden staff instruction. Your class is welcome to visit the garden for a field trip and complete your own activities, or use self-guided materials we provide for you. 
    • Location: Woodlands Garden
    • Duration: 1-2 hours
    • Number of Students: Up to 60
    • Number of Adults Required: 1:20 Adult to Student Ratio

Field Trip Inquiry Form (in process)