Ho Ho Holidays!

The final days of the Indian Summer are waning, the foliage is turning, and all of the grocery stores are competing for the best pumpkin prices. While for many it's a time to warm up some cider and pull out the nice fuzzy sweaters (you know, the ones you wash the first time and your dryer gets filled with tiny shreds of old kleenex, prompting the question, "when was I sick last?"), for the garden it means

OH MY IT'S ALREADY HOLIDAY SEASON AGAIN!!!

So begins the hustle and bustle at the garden!

Holiday lights is an increasingly important time of year for garden visitation, and no wonder! Beautiful twinkling lights, hot cider, santa claus, carolers, fireworks, and vivid tropical orchids all come together to create a memorable evening for families at the garden.

With so many different items to consider, our entire staff participates in the preparations. Horticulture has been busy as bees with pansy planting and refreshing tired summer plants through all of the nasty drizzly weather. They are truly warriors! Jim Summey and his lightning bugs are working hard on stringing thousands of lights throughout the gardens- no small feat! The conservatory crew is prepping 300 orchids for the tree (if you haven't seen this you NEED TO) and putting together a special centerpiece for the conservatory. Events has lined up a fantastic array of musical entertainment, and education has cooked up some super holiday crafts that will be enjoyed by young and old. All in all this is shaping up to be our best year ever, so go ahead and mark your calendars now to visit us between November 27th and December 31st!

Be sure to check your mail soon for details on this years events, I know you'll just love it!

PS gang... Be on the lookout for a couple of big, waddling, rosy cheeked pregnant ladies when you're here this fall. Gail Allen and Erin Murphy (that's moi) are expecting a pair of garden babies this November! So if we come charging through like angry bulls don't be afraid- unless of course there's a line for the restrooms!