Family Day in the Garden is a great way to spend time together

Friday, April 11, 2014

If you and your family enjoy spending time outdoors and do not mind getting a little dirt under your fingernails, then make plans to attend Family Day in the Garden slated Saturday, April 19 at The Botanic Garden (TBG) at Oklahoma State University, located west of Stillwater. The event will take place from 9 a.m. to noon.

Families are invited to come out and explore the gardens and see all of the new and exciting additions that have been added to the garden, said Laura Payne, volunteer coordinator at TBG at OSU.

“This is a great way to spend some time outdoors together as a family, as well as learn more about what many people call one of Stillwater’s best kept secrets,” Payne said. “It’s also a wonderful way for homeowners to get some ideas for their own landscapes. By coming out to the garden in early spring, they will be able to see the early stages of the growing season. It will be fun for these families to come back periodically throughout the summer to see the progress and how the gardens change over time.”

Something new at TBG at OSU this year is called Service Day. On the third Saturday of the month, beginning April 19, service groups are encouraged to come out and volunteer a few hours at the garden. This is a great opportunity for groups and organizations needing community service or volunteer hours.

“Not only is this a community service opportunity, it’s also a chance to learn more about gardening in Oklahoma,” Payne said. “Service days will include planting, watering, pruning and on-going general maintenance of the garden.”

The Botanic Garden at OSU is an oasis of thousands of species of herbaceous and woody plants set on about 100 acres near Cow Creek and Stillwater Creek. The garden also is home to many different research plots.

“We’ve hosted Family Day in the Garden in the past and it has been extremely successful. The families have had a great time coming out, learning more about the garden and getting a little dirt under their nails as they helped with planting and general garden maintenance,” Payne said.

For more information about Family Day in the Garden or groups wanting to participate in Service Day, contact Payne at 405-744-4531, or email at laura.payne@okstate.edu.