Blue Lake Natural Discovery Garden
Sustainable living › Natural gardening › Learning gardens › Blue Lake
Smell the flowers, touch the leaves and feel inspired by this peaceful, playful demonstration garden at Metro's Blue Lake Regional Park in Fairview.
Drop-in family fun
Drop by the garden for sensory explorations and hands on activities with a garden educator during summer activity times.
This summer's guided activities are over for the season but will return next year. The garden is open for self-guided visits 8 a.m. to sunset daily.
Fun learning activities for everyone
Gather ideas to make your yard pesticide free, safe and fun for kids, songbirds, lakes and streams. All ages can explore an active worm bin, dig for “fossils,” discover rub and sniff plants, find the softest leaves, and see what wildlife have to say about natural gardening.
Come for the garden and stay the whole day to enjoy the park's many recreational activities.
Blue Lake summer family activities
Each weekend will focus on a different theme with fun new activities to ignite creativity, teach safe, fun gardening and nature appreciation. Enjoy scavenger hunts, crafts, coloring and gardening for ages three and up. Adult supervision required.View the calendar
Plant projects
Learn how seeds travel, stems sprout, plants grow, or how flowers make fruit in a beautiful kids garden. Enjoy fun activities such as potato printing, bookmark making, flower origami or leaf rubbings. View the calendar
Soil superheroes
Discover how worms help plants, beetles beat bad bugs, fungi fertilize soil, and how other wild creatures can help your garden grow. Dig in to an active worm bin, find “fossils” in the ground, make clay beads or create other cool soil crafts.View the calendar
Animal activities
Come see what creatures visit a garden and how they help it grow. Find animal footprints, see what brings butterflies and how to help birds eat better. Enjoy fun activities such as critter rock painting, animal origami, potato stamp footprinting or wildlife journaling.View the calendar
Water wonders
Explore how precious water helps plants and creatures thrive, and how to protect it from pollution. Discover fun activities such as lake creature explorations, water critter origami, water cycle card making or fishy potato stamp printing. View the calendar
Location
Blue Lake Regional Park is located between Marine Drive and Sandy Boulevard off Northeast 223rd Avenue. From Interstate 84, take the Fairview exit (14) and go north on 207th Avenue to Sandy Boulevard. Turn right onto Sandy and travel east to 223rd and turn left. Proceed north to Blue Lake Road and the park. The garden is located right next to the water spray ground.
Bike there
Use the bike lane east on Marine Drive to Blue Lake Road or use the bike lane east on Halsey to 223rd Avenue and follow the signs north to the park. Exercise caution on 223rd Avenue and Marine Drive. Bicycles are welcome inside the park on paved paths.
Learn more about biking in the region