Indianapolis Museum of Art will give away lettuce seedlings to visitors during National Public Gardens Day, May 5, 2012. (C) Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp
At least three sites in Indianapolis will participate in the 4th annual National Public Gardens Day, held each year the Friday before Mother’s Day.
Public gardens offer inspiration and ideas, said Paul James, host of HGTV’s Gardening By the Yard and spokesman for National Public Gardens Day. The event is sponsored by the American Public Gardens Association in partnership with irrigation specialists Rain Bird.
Public gardens provide gathering places, demonstrate environmental stewardship and showcase the latest plant combos, James said in a phone interview from his Oklahoma home.
“They contribute to a community’s quality of life,” he said.
Indianapolis Museum of Art
Chad Franer, director of horticulture at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, oversees 150 acres of gardens and natural areas, ready for recreational activities or “just a space to relax and unwind.”
As an urban garden, the IMA “helps to reduce the noise and air pollution, while many of our spaces aid in reducing heat island effects and storm water retention,” he said.
The IMA will offer lettuce seedlings to visitors on Friday. There is no fee to visit the IMA grounds and museum.
Garfield Park
At Garfield Park, the $1 admission fee to the Conservatory will be waived for the day, said Fritz Nerding, manager of the Conservatory and Sunken Garden. There is no admission fee for the Sunken Garden in Indianapolis oldest city park.
“National Public Gardens Day is a perfect time for people to discover a new garden or a great reason to get out and rediscover their perennial favorite,” Nerding said.
White River Gardens
A horticulturist will be in the Knot Garden at White River Gardens 11 a.m. to noon May 11 to answer questions from visitors, said Judy Gagen, conservation communication specialist at the Indianapolis Zoo. There also will be a handout on growing orchids in the home. Regular admission fees apply.
“Public gardens add so much to our lives, especially gardens that are located in busy cities, where a place for rest, relaxation and reconnecting to nature is so important,” Gagen said
The gardens remind us that a “green and thriving environment is vital to individuals and communities,” she said.
Paul James, the Gardening Guy, is spokesman for National Public Gardens Day. Photo courtesy HGTV