The Wanderwood Gardens, an immersive woodland playground for day-dreamers of all ages was announced to the public at the Fundraiser Gala at the Dubuque Arboretum and Botanical Gardens on Thursday. The four-acre children’s garden is inspired by Debi and Andy Butler and features a variety of different outdoor play spaces to explore, awakening visitors’ connection to nature and delight for the world around them.
The Founders and Designers of The Wanderwood Gardens
Left to Right: Jon Powell, Jeri Deneen, Debi Butler, Andy Butler
The Wanderwood Gardens was designed by Jeri Deneen and Jon Powell of Deneen Powell Atelier, an Immersive Experiential Design Firm based out of San Diego, who have designed works like The San Diego Botanical Gardens and the award-winning Conservation Gardens in Salt Lake City.
– Deneen Powell Atelier, Inc –"Our inspiration has been years of studying children’s behavior through the lens of children’s garden design. For our futures, our children’s futures, our children’s children futures and so on we desperately need to create places where we can engage in outdoor exploration, discovery and physical nature play, not only to properly develop bodies and minds but to gain an appreciation and love of nature, to preserve what we have and rebuild natural spaces for the future."