Summer Family Programs at The Arboretum
The following programs are available this summer at the Arboretum. Most programs are free or very low cost. Visit the Arboretum website or call 859-257-9339 for more details.
Full Moon Walk
Friday, June 5 at 8:30 p.m.
Enjoy the sights, scents, and sounds of the garden after sunset. We’ll walk through the garden in search of night-blooming flowers, nocturnal insects, and other wonders by the light of the full moon. Meet at the Visitor Center. $3 per person or $10/family. Please pre-register at 859-257-9339.
Children’s Garden Time
Saturdays in June at 9 – 10 a.m.
Children of all ages will enjoy garden-related activities each Saturday in June. Meet at the Visitor Center. $1 (Topics below) Please pre-register at 859-257-9339.
- June 6 – Planting in the Children’s Garden
- June 13 – Life in the Soil
- June 20 – Scented Herbs & Flowers
- June 27 – Mud Pies
Stories & More: Water, Water, Everywhere!
Friday, June 12 at 10 – 11 a.m.
Lexington Public Library staff will present an hour of stories & crafts with a water theme: think oceans, rivers, swimming, fishing, even bath time! Meet at the picnic tables. Free
Stories & More: Watch it Grow!
Friday, June 26 at 10 – 11 a.m.
All living things grow! Lexington Public Library staff will present an hour of stories & crafts about flowers, trees, animals, and other things that grow. Meet at the picnic tables. Free
Stargazing
Friday, June 26 at 9 p.m. (Clouds/rain date: June 27)
Arboretum staff & members of the Bluegrass Amateur Astronomy Club will set up telescopes outside the Visitor Center, giving you close-up views of the crescent Moon, planets, and other celestial wonders. Free
Night Insect Walk
Friday, July 10 at 8:30 – 10:30 p.m.
Entomologist Blake Newton will present this fascinating program about nocturnal insects and their close relatives. As the sun sets, you be guided through the gardens in search of beetles, praying mantids, moths, and other nocturnal wonders. Please pre-register at 859-257-9339. $1
Children’s Garden Time: Native Plants & People (all ages)
Saturday, July 11 at 9 – 10 a.m.
What plants were important to the first Kentuckians? Join us for a garden walk and find out how Native Americans used plants for food, medicine, and more. Please pre-register at 859-257-9339. $1
Children’s Garden Time: The Language of Flowers (all ages)
Saturday, July 18 at 9 – 10 a.m.The Victorians used flowers to express their feelings symbolically. You’ll learn the secret language of flowers and create your own “tussie mussie” – a small bouquet of symbolic plants. Please pre-register at 859-257-9339. $3
Children’s Garden Time: Make Our Garden Grow (all ages)
Saturday, July 26 at 9 a.m.
Come see what’s blooming and ripening in the Children’s Garden flower and vegetable beds. Meet in front of the Visitor Center at 9 a.m.; we’ll walk to the Children’s Garden together. Please pre-register at 859-257-9339. $1
Tomato Festival (all ages)
Saturday, August 8 at 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Back by popular demand! Come celebrate the tomato, America’s most popular home-grown food. Sample several varieties of tomatoes from Kentucky and around the world, learn how to save your own tomato seeds to grow next year, and tour our Demonstration Vegetable Garden. Free
Monthly Hike: Insect Safari (all ages)
Saturday, August 15 at 9 a.m.
Put on your safari hat and join entomologist Blake Newton for a morning hike in search of insects and their allies. Come face-to-face with butterflies, beetles, and more! Please pre-register at 859-257-9339. $1
Keep it Green, It’s for the Birds: A Green Birdhouse Workshop
Saturday, August 22 at 1 – 4 p.m.
Ron Owens will show you how to craft a handsome birdhouse from reclaimed barn timber, old license plates, and other rustic recycled materials. All tools and supplies provided; children under twelve are welcome with an accompanying adult. Please pre-register at 859-257-9339. $30
The Arboretum is located at 500 Alumni Drive between Nicholasville Road & Tates Creek Road in Lexington. For directions see http://www.ca.uky.edu/Arboretum/.
(Updated 05/29/09 - E-mail Julie Geraci - Jbgera2@email.uky.edu )
