Media Contact: Barb DeGroot, 952-443-1459

April 28, 2014

Next Up at the Arb: Plant Sales, 5K Run/Walk, Public Gardens Day!

—Now Blooming!

Daffodils, forsythia, crocus, early tulips, scilla and more!

—Activites

Hosta and Grasses Sale. Saturday, May 3, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, May 4, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Arboretum Gift Store alcove.

Arboretum Auxiliary Spring Plant Sale. Saturday & Sunday, May 10 & 11, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Margot Picnic Shelter area. Shop for hard-to-find varieties and U of M introductions.  Gate fee applies (get a voucher for return visit with a plant purchase).

Bud Break 5K Run/Walk and Daffodil Dash. Sunday, May 4, with 9 a.m. race start.  Enjoy a spring run on asphalt course through Arboretum landscapes. $20/ $25 (through April 29); $30 (April 30-May 2); $35 walk-ins. Fee covers gate admission & T-shirt. Medals awarded to top runners. Register at www.arboretum.umn.edu/budbreak.aspx.

Weekend Family Fun: Blooming Baskets. Saturdays and Sundays in May, noon-4 p.m., Learning Center.  Explore the greenhouse and discover the fiber-producing plants used to make clothing, paper, and rope. Plant a flower to take home. Free with gate fee.

National Public Gardens Day. Friday, May 9.  Celebrate the joy of public gardens and how they enrich our lives. On this day, the Arboretum offers free admission all day!  Join guided garden walks at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m., take a narrated Tram Tour (10:30 a.m., noon, 1:30 or 3 p.m.) or free Circulator ride on Three-Mile Drive.

Mother & Daughter Tea. Saturday, May 10. 2:30-4 p.m. Snyder Building Tea Room, Also Spring Tea, Wednesday, May 14, 2:30-4 p.m., Snyder Bldg. Tea Room. $26 member/ $29 non-member. www.arboretum.umn.edu/teatime.aspx or call 612-626-3951.

—Classes

Rain Gardens: Don't let Rain Run Down Your Drain.  Saturday, May 3, 10 a.m.-noon. Instructor Peter Moe offers tips on successful rain gardening. $35/ $55. arboretum.umn.edu/eventsprograms.aspx.

Make a Peony Arrangement for Mom!  May 8, 6:30-8:30 p.m. $80 / $100.  Instructor: Ashley Fox. Arboretum.umn.edu/gardeningclasses.aspx or 952-443-1422.

—Tours

Seasonal Highlights Walking Tours begin May 1!   Don't miss this  docent-led walk through the close-in gardens focusing on seasonal blooms.  10:30 a.m. Tuesday-Friday and 1 p.m. Saturday & Sunday, from May 1 through mid-October.

—Where

Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Located nine miles west of I-494 on State Highway 5 in Chanhassen. Admission: $12 ages 13 & up, free for ages 12 & under. 952-443-1400.