Tulip Extravaganza Continues, Other Spring Activities Planned at Garvan Woodland Gardens

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Blue and yellow hyacinths bloom around the Garvan Pavilion, designed by E. Fay Jones and Maurice Jennings, at Garvan Woodland Gardens in Hot Springs.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Garvan Woodland Gardens continues to welcome the return of spring with a host of activities and events during the month of April.

An exhibit of artwork by The Monday Studio Artists of Hot Springs Village will be on display from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily in the Magnolia Room. Artists Shirley Anderson, Barbara Seibel and Caryl Joy Young will share their love of the gardens and the great outdoors in this exhibit of pastels, acrylics and watercolors.

The annual Tulip Extravaganza, celebrating the end of winter, continues at the garden. This is the biggest extravaganza of spring color between Memphis and Dallas, featuring nearly 150,000 tulips. It is sponsored by CHI St. Vincent.

Three Gardening 101 workshops will be held April 2 in the Magnolia Room. In the "Growing Up! Vertical Gardening" workshop, from 9:30-11 a.m., Diane Daniel and a group of Master Gardeners will present inexpensive ways to grow more plants by growing upward, such as using planter walls and suspending pots on fences and trellises. For "Diamonds, Trellises and Trees: Espalier," held from 11 a.m. to noon, Aaron Wright and Bob Byers, landscape architect at the garden, will share pointers about espalier, a centuries-old horticultural practice, from initial training through maintenance on mature specimens. In "Berries," from 1-3 p.m., Pat Ford of Renee's Berry Farm in London will share what he has learned over nearly 20 years about growing great strawberries, blueberries and blackberries.

Health walks at the garden will continue throughout the month of April. A one-mile walk will be led by a garden staff member from 9-10 a.m. each Tuesday. Sharon Turrentine will lead an exhilarating three-mile hike from 9-10 a.m. each Monday through parts of the garden that most people never see. Participants should wear comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy walking shoes.

Beginning April 9, healthy living experts from the Oaklawn Center on Aging will lead Tai chi classes from 1:30-2:30 p.m. on the Great Lawn (rain location is Millsap Bride's Hall). Tai chi is an ancient Chinese practice that is both art and exercise and that can be practiced at any level of fitness. It can help with flexibility and balance and with gently building bone and muscle strength.

The "Herbs for the Black Thumb" workshop will be held from 1:30-3:30 p.m. April 12 in the Magnolia Room. Debbie Tripp, nursery owner and herbalist, will take the mystery out of growing herbs and show that, despite their reputation, most herbs are tough, easy to grow and provide bountiful harvests in fairly humble conditions. Plants will be for sale at this event.

The "Carson/Byer Workshop: The Succulent Garden" will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 13 in the Magnolia Room. Janet Carson, State Horticulture Specialist, and Bob Byer, landscape architect, will discuss topics such as recommended varieties of succulents, best cultural practices and great design ideas.

Spring Tea will be held at 3 p.m. April 14 in the Magnolia Room. Participants can enjoy food and beverages served in the traditional English tea style, complete with finger sandwiches, desserts, assorted scones and a variety of flavorful hot teas.

The "Habitat!" workshop will be held from 9:30-11 a.m. April 16 in Millsap Bride's Hall. Participants can bring their curiosities and leave armed with great information about what makes a good habitat and how to create a better one at home, complete with seeds to get started. This workshop is open to children ages 5 to 12.

The Sharon Turrentine Spring Concert will take place at 3 p.m. April 19 in the Anthony Chapel. This year, she will present romantic love songs, along with several beloved standards.

The "Bobwhite, Cardinal, Bluejay, Crow!" workshop will be held from 9:30 a.m. to noon April 21 in the Magnolia Room. Laverne Bissell, of the Garland County Audubon Society, will share tips for beginning bird identification. The workshop includes a bird-watching tour through the garden, and field binoculars are recommended.

"Pesto Pot!" will be held from 1:30-3:30 p.m. April 28 in the Magnolia Room. Equipped with years of experience cooking for bed and breakfast guests, Carol Scholp will share some of her ideas such as herb butters and homemade pestos. She'll demonstrate some easy dishes and allow participants to sample them to find their favorites. Guests should bring gardening gloves, a potting spade and an empty container to take home a pot of herbs for use in recipes. All other supplies will be provided.

Closing out the month is the two-day "Dream Weavers!" workshop, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 29 and 30 in the Magnolia Room. Artist Lynn Harris will demonstrate proper use of seed beads, needles and threads. Then, she'll let participants practice their new sewing skills before guiding them through three projects to take home. All supplies are provided, but participants should bring a white T-shirt for a work surface. They can bring lunch from home or purchase lunch from the garden's café.

Garvan Woodland Gardens is the botanical garden of the University of Arkansas. The garden is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Admission is $15 for adults, $5 for children ages 6-12 and free for children ages 5 and younger. Some events and activities are free. Some require a fee, advanced registration or prepayment.

For more information about these events or to check on upcoming events, call 501-262-9300 or 800-366-4664.