Garvan Woodland Gardens Greets Fall With Art Guild Exhibit, Lake Cleanup and Culinary Pairing

Garvan Woodland Gardens

A view from below the Millsap Canopy Bridge at Garvan Woodland Gardens in Hot Springs.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – With cooler weather on the horizon, Garvan Woodland Gardens has several exciting events planned in September to welcome the beginning of fall.

In September and October, Garvan Gardens will host an exhibit by the Traditional Art Guild, one of Hot Springs' oldest associations of local artists, dating back to 1964. This will be a beautiful display by local artists, as well as the group's annual People's Choice Exhibit. Visitors are asked to select a ballot and vote for their favorite piece. The exhibit will be on display from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily in the Magnolia Room.

An encore performance of "Pearl's Girls" will be presented at 3 p.m. Sept. 11 in Anthony Chapel. "Pearl's Girls," an award-winning, one-act play about family relationships, was written by Isobel McQuiston, a local writer. The cast includes Betty Johann, Doreen Wilson, Sharon Turrentine, Jodi Tooke and Lynn Pelligrino.

The annual "Trash Bash," a cleanup event at area lakes, will be held from 8-11 a.m. Sept. 24. This family friendly event includes a free lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Klipsch Amphitheater and free admission that day to Garvan Gardens. Visit the event listing online for more details.

Free classes will be offered to volunteers who want to serve as docents on guided group tours. Those interested in being docents in early fall will meet from 9-11 a.m. Sept. 20 in the Magnolia Room and on the garden grounds. Those interested in being docents in fall and winter will meet from 9-11 a.m. Nov. 1.

The "Herbs for Fall" class will be presented by Cynthia Faulk of C The Difference from 1-3:30 p.m. Sept. 22 in the Magnolia Room. This class will cover folk remedies for fall complaints, and participants will make their own liniment to take home.

A class called "Not Just for Jack-o-Lanterns: Succulent-Topped Pumpkins" will be held from noon to 2 p.m. Sept. 24 in the Magnolia Room. Minnie Shelor, a horticulturist and garden manager, will show how the humblest of pumpkins can become a fabulous fall arrangement or centerpiece.

 "Watercolors with Cynthia Schanink" will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Sept. 10 in the Magnolia Room. Schanink, an experienced watercolorist on the Arkansas Arts on Tour roster, will share her knowledge of four different techniques to create beautiful flower paintings, with all materials provided. Students will learn from her original designs of tulips, angel trumpets, roses and orchids.

The workshop "Local Cuisine! A Culinary Pairing Event" will be held from 6-8 p.m. Sept. 17 in the Magnolia Room. This culinary exploration of the fall season will feature the pairing of craft beers, cheeses and meats from JV Farms of Bismarck, Kent Walker Artisan Cheese of Little Rock and Superior Bathhouse Brewery of Hot Springs.

"Health Walks" will take place from 9-10 a.m. every Monday, and participants will meet beforehand in the Welcome Center. Sharon Turrentine will lead the three-mile hikes along various garden landscapes. Participants should wear comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy walking shoes.

Rush Fentress, the garden's director of education, will lead "Plant ID Hikes" from 8-9:30 a.m. on Thursdays through mid-November. These hikes are for Garvan Gardens members only, and participants will meet in the Welcome Center beforehand. Each hike will wind through the Evans Children's Adventure Garden and the Hixson Nature Preserve. Participants are encouraged to share their knowledge of native botanical species while learning from others.

Garvan Woodland Gardens is the botanical garden of the University of Arkansas and part of the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design.

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.