Warmer Weather Brings More Outdoor Events at Garvan Woodland Gardens

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Dogwoods and azaleas are among the plants showing off their blooms recently at Garvan Woodland Gardens.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The month of May will bring many outdoor events at Garvan Woodland Gardens, including a preview event of the brand new “Mystic Creatures” living sculptures display, which the garden will officially open in June.

An exhibit by members of the Arkansas Pastel Society will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 1 to 31 in the Magnolia Room. This non-profit educational organization consists of a regional group of artists who work in either soft or oil pastels. Their show will demonstrate a variety of techniques portraying beautiful scenery and subjects in pastels.

A Spring Concert by Sharon Turrentine will be held at 3 p.m. May 4 in Anthony Chapel. Turrentine has studied voice extensively and will be singing upbeat music, ranging from country to classical for this free concert.

A members-only preview for “Mystic Creatures” will be held at 4:30 p.m. May 29 at Garden Pavilion. Members are invited to tour beginning at 4 p.m. Wine and light hors d’oeuvres will be served at the pavilion starting at 5:30 p.m. The cost is $10 per person, and registration and prepayment are required.

Mystic Creatures features carefully manicured plants covering structural steel frames that tower over visitors, wind through lawns and plantings, and move throughout the forest. This is a collaborative project of the in-house design and fabrication teams at the garden and the department of landscape architecture in the Fay Jones School of Architecture. Designs were developed by landscape architects at the garden and Fay Jones School students, who studied design, plant materials, and structural systems required to create living sculptures.

Two of the garden’s most avid walkers continue to lead weekly, guided health walks. Sharon Turrentine, a local fitness fan and regular performer in Anthony Chapel, will lead a three-mile moderate walk at 9 a.m. on Mondays. Paula Wallace, a staff member at the garden, will lead a one-mile beginner walk at 9 a.m. on Tuesdays. Participants can meet at the Pratt Welcome Center for these walks, which begin in March and go through June 30. They should wear comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy walking shoes.

Darlene Molloy will lead moderate to advanced fitness hikes from 10-11 a.m. every other Friday, through May 30, with participants meeting at the Pratt Welcome Center. A Garden Stroller Strut will take place from 10:30-11 a.m. every Friday, through Sept. 26, with participants meeting at the Pratt Welcome Center.

Kathy Packard, from the Oaklawn Center on Aging, will lead “Garden Tai Chi for Diabetes” sessions from 1:30-2:30 p.m. every Thursday through May 29 on the Ellen Edmondson Great Lawn. Participants should wear loose clothing.

Three different gardening workshops will be offered this month. The first, Garden Art Series: “Silk Scarf Painting,” will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 3 in the Magnolia Room. Susan Harper, a local artist and garden staff member, will explore techniques of painting with brilliant color dyes on silk. Classes are taught in an open, relaxed manner and geared for the beginner interested in exploring silk painting.

The second, “Herbal Beauty and Simple Spa,” will be held from 10 a.m. to noon May 10 in the Magnolia Room. Debbie Tripp, from Rosemary Hill Herb Farm, will explain how herbs can be used in an everyday beauty routine. Participants of this two-hour, hands-on class will learn how to use essential oils to enhance their skin and hair, instead of chemicals and toxins often found in purchased products. Samples and recipes of herbal beauty products will be provided.

Finally, the Gardening 101 Workshop “Not Your Grandma’s Hydrangeas” will be held from 9:30-11:30 a.m. May 22 in the Magnolia Room. Bob Byers, associative executive director, will discuss this heirloom plant and the unique contributions that the different species can have for the landscape.

In May, there also will be various children’s programs and opportunities for families. “Peacocks,” a drop-in family program, will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 3, May 10 and May 17 in the Weyerhaeuser Bonsai Education Center. Children will learn about peacocks and peahens, and take home a craft as well.

The First Wednesday Children’s Program: “Earthworms!” will be held from 10-11 a.m. May 7 in the Weyerhaeuser Bonsai Education Center. Children will learn the importance of these “soil scientists” in nature and how helpful they can be to growing healthy gardens at home.

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 $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 6-12, free for children ages 5 and younger, and $5 for dogs. Some events and activities are free, while 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.