Wellness Wednesday: Gardening and Therapeutic Landscapes

Tom Tudek Memorial Park Maps & Directions

Sturdy shoes and a filled water bottle (32 oz. or more per adult) are necessary for all outings. Water filling stations are not available at all locations.

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Centred Outdoors will host free and guided events at Tom Tudek Memorial Park the week of July 9th. Our Wellness Wednesday activity will take place here on Wednesday, July 12th at 6:00 p.m. Join us for Gardening and Therapeutic Landscapes, presented by Master Gardeners. Co-sponsored by Jana Marie Foundation. 

About Our Instructors: 

Pam and Doug Ford are Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Centre County and outreach coordinators for the Snetsinger Butterfly Garden, a 3-acre habitat in Tudek Park in State College. Pam and Doug work with more than 40 area school and community groups to provide guidance in developing pollinator gardens, or “satellites,” of the Snetsinger Butterfly Garden. They are also committed to developing innovative programming to educate the public about the importance of pollinators in our ecosystems and everyday lives.

About the Wellness Activity:

In a walk through the Snestinger Butterfly Garden, participants will enjoy the relaxing activity of closely observing the interactions of pollinators and plants.   They will also practice the design process in creating their own personal therapeutic landscape to support pollinators and other wildlife.

For self-guided explorations, the trails are open to the public throughout the year. Join informative guided hikes at Tudek Park on Sunday, July 9th at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.; Thursday July 13th at 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.

One of ClearWater Conservancy’s first projects, Tom Tudek Memorial Park was a proposed site for a shopping mall in the 1970’s before citizens organized to prevent its development. The Tudek Family generously donated much of the land for the park in 1990, and today this 91-acre area includes a community garden, dog park, small horse farm, playground and pavilions, 61 acres of passive land, and the 3-acre Snetsinger Butterfly Garden. 

The Snetsinger Butterfly Garden is an educational site of approximately 3 acres located in the northwest portion of the park. It’s a diverse ecosystem with over 40 species of resident butterflies, many native bees and birds, and hundreds of native plants that serve as food and shelter for pollinators and other wildlife.