March at Garvan Woodland Gardens Features Flint-Knapping Demo and Celebrate Spring Event

Garvan Woodland Gardens

The koi pond at Garvan Woodland Gardens in Hot Springs.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Garvan Woodland Gardens will burst into bloom in March with its annual spring bulb display, along with photography workshops, yoga, health walks, an archeology event and an afternoon tea.

The annual "Daffodil Days and Tulip Extravaganza" begins in late March, celebrating the transition from winter to spring at Garvan Gardens. The display starts with blooming crocus, daffodils and hyacinths, followed closely by more than 150,000 Dutch tulips in brilliant hues. Spring annuals, dogwoods and azaleas also will bloom in the coming weeks. The timing of blooms is dependent on the weather. Up-to-date photos and peak bloom times can be found on the Garvan Gardens Facebook page.

The garden will host several "Spring Photowalks" on Feb. 29 and March 7, 14 and 28, all starting at 3 p.m. The Feb. 29 session will focus on daffodils and other early spring bulbs, including tulips and Japanese camellias. The March 7 session will feature Japanese cherry trees and the garden's two koi ponds. The March 14 session will focus on the tulips in plentiful bloom, with tips and tricks to enhance tulip photography. The March 28 session will revisit tulips with a closer look, discovering the unique personality of each bloom. Participants of all skill levels are invited, and any kind of camera, including smartphones and tablets, may be used. Walks last from 90 minutes to two hours, with a brief classroom session to discuss lighting, composition and focus tips. Participants will meet at the Welcome Center.

The Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design will present Design Camp the week of June 22-26 at Garvan Gardens. Early registration for the camp runs through March 2, at a cost of $225 for Garvan Gardens members or $325 for the general public. The cost increases by $50 for the regular registration period, which runs March 3 through May 22. Need-based full and partial scholarships are available. The camp is open to students going into seventh through 12th grades this fall. Design Camp offers students the opportunity to learn through hands-on projects, tours, presentations and discussions led by architecture, landscape architecture and interior design faculty of the Fay Jones School. For more information, visit the Fay Jones School website, or contact Ansley Higinbothom at faycamp@uark.edu or 479-575-4907.

The March art exhibit at the garden will feature photography by William Rainey of Mena, whose subject matter includes flora, fauna, railroads, waterfalls and wildlife. Rainey's work is on display in several Arkansas locations and has appeared in magazines in the United States and abroad. His photo "Calico Rock on the White River" received the 2019 People's Choice Award at an exhibition at the 1894 Gallery in Texarkana. The show will be displayed in the Magnolia Room from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 1-31. A portion of sales will benefit the garden.

"Group Health Walks" will be held from 9-10 a.m. on Mondays and Thursdays beginning March 2. On Mondays, Sharon Turrentine and friends will lead a three-mile walk. On Thursdays, alternating staff members will lead a two-mile walk. Walks will be held rain or shine. Participants should meet in the Welcome Center, and pets and strollers are welcome.

"Yoga at the Gardens" will take place from 10-11 a.m. March 7 and 21, April 4 and 18 and May 2 and 16 at the Klipsch Amphitheatre. Diana Esanu, a registered yoga instructor, 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.

A three-part herbalist series, "A Guide to Homegrown Herbs," will meet on March 8, March 22 and April 5 in the Magnolia Room. Tami Sain, a natural herbalist, will lead the series. The first session, which will be from 2-4 p.m., is "DIY Cold Frames." Sain will guide participants through the construction of a tabletop cold frame. All materials will be provided. The second session, from 2-3 p.m. March 22, is "Soil Preparation." Sain will discuss techniques for amending soil for seed starting. The third session, from 2-3 p.m. April 5, is "Seed Starting." Sain will conclude the series with a discussion of seed starting methods and practices.

"Mrs. Garvan's Tea" will take place at 3 p.m. March 10 in the Magnolia Room. This afternoon tea will feature a living history presentation of Verna Garvan, the garden's benefactress. Susan Harper will portray Mrs. Garvan while guests enjoy traditional tea fare.

The garden will celebrate Arkansas Archeology Month with a "Flint-knapping Demonstration and Artifact Identification" event from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. March 14 in the Magnolia Room. Members of the Ouachita Chapter of the Arkansas Archeological Society will demonstrate the ancient art of flint-knapping and identify stone artifacts. Participants are encouraged to bring stone tools, arrowheads and other artifacts for identification and sharing.

A "Botanical Illustration" class featuring toxicodendron radicans (poison ivy) will take place from 2-4 p.m. March 14 in the Magnolia Room. Ginger Ladehoff, a local artist, and Rush Fentress, garden education director, will co-teach the class. All materials will be provided.

Two separate sessions of "Garvan Rocks!" for children will be held from 9:15-10:45 a.m. March 21 and March 27 in the Magnolia Room. Sissy Hubbard, a local artist, will share the time-honored tradition of drawing on stones. Participants will create their own Garvan Rocks and hide them in the garden for others to find.

A "Right Brain Photography" class will meet from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 21 in the Weyerhaeuser Bonsai Learning Center. Eli Vega will show participants how to see with the imagination, using the right side of the brain. The workshop will be highly interactive. Bring any kind of camera to use.

The annual "Celebrate Spring" event will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 28. The event features face painting, children's booths and art projects throughout the garden. The Chipmunk Café will host pop-up snack shops.

An "Intro to Digital Photography" series will meet from 4-6 p.m. each Sunday from March 29 through May 3. Julia Mann, garden staff member and photographer, will demystify the process of learning to use a digital camera in the manual mode. Mann is an award-winning amateur photographer whose recent accolades include Best of Show in both the black and white and the color divisions at the Arkansas State Fair. This six-part series is intended for beginners with a digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera. Participants will meet in the Magnolia Room and garden.

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.