Calendar of Events

Events in May 2008

Spring classes, tours
Register for spring classes and tours at the Missouri Botanical Garden for adults and families. Log on to www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/adulteddate.asp to read all listings on gardening, landscaping, plant care, photography, botanical crafts and floral design, cooking and ethnic cuisine, wines, walking tours and more. Class locations are the Garden, 4344 Shaw Blvd., Butterfly House in Chesterfield, EarthWays Center in midtown St. Louis, and outreach sites. (314) 577-9441.

Early childhood programs
Register now for Little Sprouts, Garden Buds, Garden Kids, or Oaks and Acorns childhood programs. Explore the amazing world of nature at the Garden with your child. Little Sprouts and Garden Buds are 90-minute sessions for preschoolers that include a walk in the Garden or Shaw Nature Reserve, an activity, song or story, and a snack. Garden Kids is for ages six through eight. At Oaks and Acorns, make a botanical craft project with your grandchild. Fee. Limited class size. Advance registration required. Go to www.mobot.org; click on Education. To register, call (314) 577-9506 during weekday business hours.

Register now for summer day camp
How will your kids spend their summer? Come outside and play at the Garden’s family of attractions, with several adventures from which to choose. Discover the power of plants at the Garden’s Healthy Plants, Healthy Kids day camps. Explore the wonders of insects and flowers at the Butterfly House in Chesterfield. Create a fantasy “green home” at Camp EarthWays’ Young Green Builders. Enjoy an overnight adventure at the Shaw Nature Reserve. Limited class size. Member discounts and early registration privileges. For information, go to www.mobot.org/education or call (314) 577-9506 to request a Summer Programs guide.

Mar. 21 through May 18
The Garden at Night, a photography exhibition by Linda Rutenberg, focuses on the drama and luminous beauty of flowers, plants and gardens at sunset, in shadow, or after dark. The Missouri Botanical Garden is among the featured gardens. Ridgway Center. Included with admission.

May 1 through Oct. 31
Plastic garden pot recycling. Drop off clean plastic garden pots and trays between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. in the west parking lot of the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Monsanto Center, two blocks west of the Garden at 4500 Shaw Blvd. at Vandeventer. No metal hangers, clay pots or food plastic accepted. Please separate #6 plastic cell packs and trays from the #2 and #5 plastic pots. Seven local garden centers are also accepting plastic pots for recycling: SummerWinds/Timber Creek, Garden Heights Nursery, Bowood Farms, Crabapple Cove Nursery, University City Gardens, Greenscape Gardens and Rolling Ridge Nursery. For information, call (314) 577-9440 during business hours or log on to www.mobot.org/hort/activ/plasticpots.shtml

Through Oct. 31
Blaze a trail to the Doris I. Schnuck Children’s Garden: A Missouri Adventure for outdoor fun and learning! Drop in for “Great Green Adventures” every Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to noon; Saturday, 1 to 3 p.m. May features “Kids in Bloom” activities. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Oct. 31. Children $3, adults free, plus Garden admission. www.mobot.org/finn

Thursday nights through September
Niki Nights on Thursdays present family fun and casual outdoor dining from 5 to 9 p.m.

Niki Nights admission is $7 adults, $3 children and $5 Garden members. The Doris I. Schnuck Children’s Garden: A Missouri Adventure remains open until 7 p.m. at no extra charge. Purchase tickets now.

Now through Oct. 31
Niki, an outdoor exhibition of 40 whimsical, imaginative mosaic and painted sculptures by French-born artist Niki de Saint Phalle.

Created from fiberglass, stones, glass, mirrors and semi-precious materials, the pieces include animals, mythical figures, musicians, athletes and jubilant, dancing women called Nanas. Visitors may touch many of the sculptures and some invite exploration from the inside out. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Included with admission.

On Thursday evenings from 5 to 9 p.m., May through September, Niki Nights present casual outdoor dining, family fun and extended Children’s Garden hours until 7 p.m.

Niki Nights admission is $7 ($3 children and $5 Garden members). Purchase tickets now.

May 2 through 4
Flower Festival Weekend at Christ Church Cathedral, 1210 Locust St. Missouri Botanical Garden founder Henry Shaw, who was a member of the church, stipulated in his will that the Garden provide hundreds of flowers to decorate the cathedral every year on Flower Sunday. The annual sermon is on “the wisdom and goodness of God as shown in the growth of flowers, fruits and other products of the vegetable kingdom.” Guest preacher this year is Bonnie Anderson of the Diocese of Michigan, president of the House of Deputies of the General Convention of the Episcopal Church, and a longtime youth advocate. She will preach on Saturday, May 3, at the 11 a.m. Flower Festival Eucharist and again on Sunday at the 9 and 11:15 a.m. services at the Cathedral. Sponsored by the Diocese of Missouri, Missouri Botanical Garden and Christ Church Cathedral. (314) 231-3454 or www.christchurchcathedral.us

May 3
St. Louis Horticultural Society and Hosta sale. New cultivars and old favorites are sold by the area’s top growers, who are on hand to give plant care advice and share information about their organization. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Ridgway Center. Included with admission.

May 3
Greater St. Louis Iris Society show. New cultivars and old favorites are shown by the area’s top growers, who are on hand to give plant care advice and share information about their organization. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Ridgway Center. Included with admission. www.irises.org

May 8
Greenhouse Plant Sale offers annuals grown for Garden grounds; large, unusual stock plants used in propagation; and many perennials, tropicals, ferns and interesting woody plants. Cash, check or MasterCard/Visa accepted. No discounts. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Greenhouse complex. Proceeds benefit the Garden.

May 11
Greater St. Louis Dahlia Society sale. New cultivars and old favorites are sold by the area’s top growers, who are on hand to give plant care advice and share information about their organization. Noon to 5 p.m. Ridgway Center. Included with admission.

May 11 - SOLD OUT
Mother’s Day brunch at Sassafras, the Garden’s café. $24.95 per adult, $11.95 per child age 12 and under (tax not included). Includes admission to the Garden. Seatings at 10, 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Reservations required: (314) 577-9530. Light fare is also available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at a cart outside the restaurant.

May 17 & 18
Chinese Culture Days features a Grand Parade with 70-foot dancing dragon, martial arts, Chinese calligraphy, painting and authentic regional cuisine. T’ai chi and tea tasting in the Grigg Nanjing Friendship Garden, where special tours focus on the symbolism of many plant species and architectural details. Doors open at 9 a.m.; activities from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Grand Parade at 2 p.m.), both days. $10 adults, $7 seniors, $3 Garden members, $3 children ages 3 to 12, free for members’ children (12 and under). Purchase tickets. No trams.

May 18
Qui Xiaolong signs copies of his book, Evoking Tang: An Anthology of Classical Chinese Poetry. Noon to 2 p.m. Garden Gate Shop. Included with Chinese Culture Days admission ($3-$10).

May 22
Garden Party benefit at Eckert’s Garden Center, 951 S. Green Mount Rd. in Belleville. 5:30 to 8 p.m. Details TBA. www.eckerts.com

May 23 to Aug. 17
"Seasons of the Heartland" exhibition celebrates Midwest Living’s 20th anniversary with stunning and memorable photographs of the region’s varied and surprising landscapes that have been featured on the magazine’s pages. Ridgway Center. Included with admission.

May 24 through Sept. 1
“Exploring Trees Inside and Out,” a new interactive experience where fun and learning about trees and the natural environment connect. Climb inside a large burr oak, explore the inside of an oversized leaf, and crawl through the hollow of a giant log. The “Exploring Trees Inside and Out” traveling exhibit is a collaborative project of the Arbor Day Foundation and Dimensions Educational Research Foundation, touring nationally through 2010 thanks to the generous support of Doubletree. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Brookings Interpretative Center, adjacent to the Climatron. Included with admission.

May 24
Rose Society of Greater St. Louis show and sale. New cultivars and old favorites are shown and sold by the area’s top growers, who are on hand to give plant care advice and share information about their organization. Noon to 5 p.m. Ridgway Center. Included with admission. www.ars.org

May 25 through 31
Illinois Appreciation Week. Illinois residents receive 2-for-1 Garden admission (an $8 value); a 10 percent discount in the Garden Gate Shop; and 20 percent off new or gift memberships purchased this week.

Wednesday evening hours
Beginning May 28, 2008 every Wednesday evening between Memorial Day and Labor Day, the Garden stays open until 8 p.m. with free admission after 5 p.m. for all visitors. The Doris I. Schnuck Children’s Garden: A Missouri Adventure is also open and free from 5 to 7 p.m. on these Wednesday evenings. Enjoy a relaxing summer night at the Garden!

May 31
American Rock Garden Society sale. New cultivars and old favorites are sold by the area’s top growers, who are on hand to give plant care advice and share information about their organization. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Ridgway Center. Included with admission.

May 31 & June 1
Bonsai Society of Greater St. Louis show and sale. New cultivars and old favorites are shown and sold by the area’s top growers, who are on hand to give plant care advice and share information about their organization. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Ridgway Center. Included with admission. www.stlbonsai.org

Tower Grove House, the Victorian country home of the Garden’s founder, Englishman Henry Shaw, is open March through December. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday 1 to 4 p.m. (closed Mondays) Admission to the house is included with general Garden admission. Self-guided tours during open hours; guided tours Tuesday through Saturday at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., Sunday at 1:30 p.m., or by appointment. Closed January-February, Mondays, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

The Doris I. Schnuck Children's Garden: A Missouri Adventure, is open April through October, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; admission is $3 children, free for adults. From April through October, drop in anytime Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to noon, and Saturdays from 1 to 3 p.m., for "Great Green Adventures."

Take a "Great Garden Adventure" tour! Ask at the ticket counter about a self-guided Fitness Foray, Stroller Strut, Kids’ Quest or a Guided Exploration. Wheelchair-friendly route available. Included with regular Garden admission or membership.

Walking tours led by Garden docents depart from the ticket counter at 10 a.m. between Memorial Day and Labor Day, and at 1 p.m. daily the rest of the year (exception: major special events). No extra charge.

April through October, look for Germination Stations throughout the Children’s Garden. Plant seeds of knowledge and encourage growing minds through educator-led games and hands-on learning. Included with admission.

Early morning walking. In cooperation with the American Heart Association, the grounds open early every Wednesday and Saturday at 7 a.m. to encourage fitness walking. A light breakfast is available for purchase in the Sassafras café, starting at 7 a.m. Fitness walking is included with admission or membership. Garden admission is free to St. Louis City and County (ZMD) residents until noon every Wednesday and Saturday throughout the year, except during certain major special events.

Email Web Comments: Myriam Fica