Dear Teachers and Friends,

 A marvelous work of art was dedicated in Columbus, Ohio, on a warm summer day in 1992:  The Topiary Garden at the Old Deaf School Park.  Like most works of art, it offers many opportunities for learning--about art history, contemporary art, artists, and artistic media and methods.  But the Topiary Garden is special.  It's a three-dimensional work of art that children and adults can enter and participate with, both physically and imaginatively.  It changes with each season.  It invites connections of ideas from art to ecology, landscape design to rejuvenation. Being an outdoor public park with gently sloping paved walkways, it's accessible (and free!) to diverse audiences, and will accommodate groups both small and large.

 This packet was prepared be the Education Committee of the Friends of the Topiary Park as an aid to teachers preparing for a visit.  The contents, which can provide useful in the classroom as well as the park, include:

 We hope that you find these reproducible materials useful in planning for a positive learning experience at the Topiary Garden.  Please remind visitors to the garden that, although it is a park where children can play, the topiaries are somewhat fragile works of art, and should be treated with care and respect.  With proper treatment, the peaceful topiary characters will be able to greet visitors for decades to come.

 Enjoy your visit!

 Sincerely,

The Friends of the Topiary Park Education Committee