New Coloring Book Blossoms in ASLA’s STEM Literacy by Design Children's Book Collection

A new book by Lillian M. Wu, ASLA, reflects the increasing international reach of landscape architecture education.

ASLA's efforts to introduce landscape architecture to young learners are becoming a global movement! Through initiatives like STEM Literacy by Design, educators and practitioners are finding creative ways to connect children with the built and natural environments around them. Tao's coloring book is available in English and Chinese, ensuring that language is not a barrier to participation and allowing more children and educators to engage meaningfully with the material in their native context.

Wu's recent visit to Hong Kong was inspired by hands-on engagement with nursery school students. By translating core ideas of landscape architecture into interactive, age-appropriate activities, this book project demonstrates how foundational concepts - like planting design, water, and public space - can resonate with even the youngest audiences.

Member efforts like this underscore a broader shift: landscape architecture education is increasingly seen as essential at an early age, and adaptable across cultures and geographies. Whether in classrooms in the U.S. or nursery schools abroad, the goal remains the same: to cultivate curiosity, environmental awareness, and a sense of stewardship. As more practitioners contribute globally inspired, multilingual resources, the field continues to grow more inclusive, interconnected, and impactful for the next generation.

About the Author

Lillian M. Wu, ASLA, is a landscape architect and art instructor specializing in watercolor and Chinese brushwork. Lillian expresses her love of art, intertwined with her love of landscape scenery, by teaching botanical, landscape, and avian painting. Her work nurtures children in the creative processes of art and landscape design. She currently teaches at the Masterpiece Gallery in Millbrae, CA.

View Lillian's art and design at https://www.lillianwuart.com.

Join the STEM Literacy by Design Movement

Members and educators are invited to join the growing network bringing STEM Literacy by Design to students. When you sign up, you'll receive a toolkit of books that include plug-and-play design ideas, making it simple to introduce students to environmental literacy and landscape architecture.

Explore all Career Discovery resources, then join our movement to build the next generation of landscape architects (while supplies last)!

Please direct questions to Lisa J. Jennings, Senior Manager, Career Discovery and Diversity at [email protected].