May Events

To submit a garden-related public event for the e-gardens calendar, please e-mail details to events@sperrygardens.com. Deadline is the 15th of the month prior to the event date.

Austin / Travis County
Attend A Wild Night Out at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center on Thursday, May 2, 6 — 9 p.m., or attend the Wildflower Gala Silent Art Auction on Friday, May 3. A Wild Night Out offers a winetasting, appetizers, Brazilian music, and the opportunity to preview the art and celebrate the artists who contribute work to support the Wildflower Center. Find details at www.wildflower.org.

Enjoy Fairie Homes and Gardens, the first-ever Faerie Architecture Show at Zilker Botanical Garden, now through May 26. The show features faerie homes and gardens created by Austin area gardeners, architects, and others. You’ll see the woodland faerie trail exhibit and can register for the Faerie Landscaping Workshop on May 11. Find details here.

Corpus Christi
Register kids now for the June and July Summer Day Camps at the South Texas Botanical Gardens and Nature Center. Find details at www.stxbot.org/.

Dallas County / Collin County
Take a free guided walking tour of beautiful Myers Park Gardens and Event Center in McKinney on Saturday, May 4, 9 a.m. — 1 p.m. You’ll see the Earth-Kind® Perennial Research and Demonstration Gardens, as well as the Crape Myrtle, Kordes Rose, and Vegetable trial gardens sponsored by Texas A&M AgriLife and Collin County Master Gardeners. One of the largest rain gardens in Collin County and state-of-the-art rainwater harvesting systems will also be on display. Myers Park is located at 7117 County Road 166, McKinney. Call 972-548-4232 or visit www.ccmgatx.org for more information.

Pre-register for the Three-Hour Wetland Canoe Trails at the Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary on Saturday, May 11, 10 a.m. — 1 p.m. Participants will experience the amazing diversity in wetland vegetation and wildlife while learning about the history and basics of wetland ecology. Includes safety and canoeing introduction, guided tour and free paddle time. Find details at www.heardmuseum.org/attractions/eco-adventures.asp.

Join in free fun at the annual Texas Tree Climbing Competition, when members of the Texas chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture tangle for the honor of being the state’s “Top Gun” among tree climbers. Events for professional climbers and for the public are scheduled for May 17, 8 a.m. — 5 p.m., and May 18, 8 a.m. — 2 p.m., at Bob Woodruff Park, South Pavilion, 3800 Park Blvd East, in Plano. The public is welcome to compete in the stock saw speed-cutting competition, knot-tying contest, and tree height/diameter-guessing contest. For more info, visit www.isatexas.com or call 972-877-0358.

Mark your calendar for children’s events at the Dallas Arboretum this month and next. Eddie Coker Memorial Day Children’s Concerts are scheduled for May 27, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. A new Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Flower Village opens June 1 for the summer. Watch for details about the opening of the Arboretum’s new Rory Meyer’s Children’s Adventure Garden, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 21. Find information at www.dallasarboretum.org.

Fort Worth / Tarrant County
Visit six beautiful gardens in Southlake during the 2013 Southlake Garden Tour sponsored by the Perennial Garden Society on April 28, 10 a.m. — 4 p.m. Exhibits will be staffed with experts on water conservation, pond management, square-foot vegetable gardening, tree selection and care, in addition to mosquito control and prevention. Tarrant County Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer questions in each garden. Advance tickets ($8) will be available at area Calloways, Marshal Grain in Grapevine and the North Richland Hills Farmers Market starting April 10. Find complete details at www.southlakegardentour.org.

Attend the Herb Festival at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, May 18, 9 a.m. — 3 p.m. A delight for the senses, the Herb Festival fills the garden center with live herbs, beautiful displays of organic soaps, tasty snacks and much more. Admission is $5. Find details at www.fwbg.org.

Take the Hidden Gardens of Fort Worth Tour, presented by Historic Fort Worth Inc., on Sunday, May 19, noon until 6 p.m. Now in its 10th year, the tour features four charming gardens in the prestigious and beautifully historic Ridglea Hills neighborhood. Advance tickets are $20; $25 on tour day. Tickets available through Historic Fort Worth, 817-336-2344 or www.historicfortworth.org; Archie’s Gardenland, 6700 Camp Bowie Blvd.; Calloway’s Nursery, 2651 South Hulen (advance tickets only); Into the Garden, 4600 Dexter Ave or 3300 Knox Street in Dallas. Rain or shine. Proceeds benefit preservation programs in Historic Fort Worth, including the cattle baron mansions.

Houston / Harris County
Enjoy the May informational presentations at The Arbor Gate, in Tomball. Sessions scheduled include The Perfect Patio Party, Basilmania, Flowers, Foliage, Ferns and Fun, and Art in the Gardening. Find times, dates, presenters and directions at www.arborgate.com.

Nacogdoches
Attend the May lecture in the Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series on Thursday, May 16, when Todd Lasseigne, director of the Oklahoma Centennial Botanical Garden in Tulsa, presents “The OCBG: Proving That There’s Plant Life Here.” The garden lectures are held in room 110 of the Stephen F. Austin State University Agriculture Building. Refreshments and a rare plant raffle are included. Free and open to the public. For more information call 935-468-1863 or e-mail grantdamon@sfasu.edu.

San Antonio / Bexar County
Enjoy free Starlight Movies in the Gardens this month at the San Antonio Botanical Garden: Roman Holiday on May 3; Harvey on May 10. Gates open at 7:30 p.m.; movies begin at dusk. Light concessions, including beer and wine, available. Find details at www.sabot.org.