Garvan Woodland Gardens to Host Photo Walks, Family Events, Yoga, Mosaic-Making in July

Garvan Woodland Gardens

George is the male peacock at Garvan Woodland Gardens in Hot Springs. He is often seen around the Great Lawn or the Chipmunk Cafe.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The summer flowers are in full bloom at Garvan Woodland Gardens, with activities planned for all ages throughout the month. Highlights include the annual summer celebration, a series of sprinkler events and a workshop that explores connections between home interiors and landscape design.

The July art exhibit will feature work by the Arkansas Pastel Society, a regional group with more than 60 members. Members participate in local shows, a biennial national exhibition, workshops, member-only shows, paint-outs and programs with demonstrations. The exhibit will be on display July 1-31 in the Magnolia Room.

The three-part "Smartphone Photography" series will conclude with a session from 1:30-3:30 p.m. July 1 in the Magnolia Room and garden. The workshop-style class will allow participants to put into action the concepts they've learned, with an optional critique session at the end.

"ADLS Stations" will take place from 10:30 a.m. to noon July 3, 17 and 31 and Aug. 14 in the Magnolia Room and the Evans Children's Adventure Garden. Each station has an indoor learning component and an extension project to take outdoors. Learning stations focus on the arts, design, literature and science. Extended projects are available for students attending multiple sessions. These facilitated drop-in learning sessions are for children ages 8-12.

"Thirsty Thursdays" will continue from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 4, 11, 18 and 25. Sprinklers will be running in the Children's Garden and at the Ellipse.

"Celebrate Summer Day!" will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 6. The children's booths will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with activities that include rainbow in a bag, pinwheel making, face painting and ribbon dancers. Flossie's Funnel Cakes and Blue Elephant Shaved Ice will be on site. A beer garden will open at 11 a.m., featuring live music from John Jordan. Sprinkler stations in the Children's Garden and at the Ellipse will allow guests to cool off.

The annual "Fairy and Wizards Tea" will be held at 3 p.m. July 9 in the Magnolia Room. This English-style tea features scones, finger sandwiches and desserts accompanied by a variety of teas. The garden's "tea fairy" will give a short lesson in tea etiquette, followed by stories geared to the young audience. Children are invited to dress as fairies or wizards. The event is open to children ages 4-12. Reservations are required, and children must be accompanied by an adult.

"Inside-Outside: Design Connections from Interior Residential Spaces to Gardens and Landscapes" will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. July 13 in the Magnolia Room. The workshop will provide examples and frameworks for creating cohesive design from the interior of the home to garden and landscape. Carl Matthews, head of the interior design department in the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design at the University of Arkansas, and Scott Biehle, instructor of landscape architecture in the Fay Jones School, will share precedents and instruction. Most of the day will be devoted to hands-on design exercises. All materials will be provided. Advance registration is required.

"Summer Photowalks" continue for participants of all skill levels. Any kind of camera, including smartphones and tablets, may be used. Walks last 90 minutes to 2 hours, with a brief classroom session to discuss lighting, composition and focus tips.

• Waterfalls & Cascades - 9 a.m. July 13, meet in the Weyerhaeuser Bonsai Learning Center
• Dusk & Sunset - 6 p.m. July 27, meet in the Magnolia Room
• Shooting in the Shade - 9 a.m. Aug. 10, meet in the Magnolia Room

"Yoga at the Gardens" will continue from 10-11 a.m. July 13 and 27 at the Klipsch Amphitheatre. Yoga instructor Diana Esanu will teach the series, incorporating stretches, gentle poses, breath work and affirmations. A 10-minute guided meditation will follow. Participants are asked to bring their own mats.

"Bonsai Techniques - Jin & Shari" will take place from 10-11:30 a.m. July 20 in the Weyerhaeuser Bonsai Learning Center. Jin and shari are bonsai techniques that give bonsai the appearance of being older than they are and add other interesting characteristics. The class will demonstrate these sometimes intimidating techniques.

A "Mosaic-Making Workshop" will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 23 and 24 in the Magnolia Room. Suzie Burch, a local artist, will lead participants in designing and creating a mosaic art piece. Students are encouraged to bring old trinkets, stones and other small pieces they would like to include in their finished piece.

"Tie-Dye Fri-dye" will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 26 on the garden grounds. Guests are invited to wear tie-dye attire and celebrate summer with a beer garden and live music. Food options will include Flossie's Funnel Cakes, Blue Elephant Shaved Ice and Chipmunk Cafe pop-up snack stations. Sprinklers will be running in the Children's Garden and at the Ellipse.

The "Botanical Illustration Series" will continue from 2-4 p.m. July 27 in the Magnolia Room. Ginger Ladehoff and Rush Fentress co-teach the series, providing a short botanical lecture and one-on-one instruction with drawings. All materials will be provided. The focus for July is Hemerocallis sp. (daylilies).

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 4-12 and free for children ages 3 and younger. Some events and activities are free. Some require a fee, advance registration or prepayment.

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