Friday, May 7, is National Public Gardens Day. The day was born out of a partnership between the American Public Gardens Association and Rain Bird Corporation, and the gist of it is simple enough: to encourage people to visit the more than 500 public gardens in the U.S.
Last year I was asked to serve as the spokesperson for National Public Gardens Day, and I accepted the offer without batting an eye. Why? Because I truly believe that public gardens are a rich source of ideas and information for home gardeners. By spending a few hours at your nearby public garden, you'll learn more about which plants grow well in your area and how to combine them in your own garden than you'll ever glean from a book or magazine (or television show). And if you visit the public garden often, you'll witness how those plants change throughout the seasons. You'll also get great ideas on designing beds, creating paths, choosing the perfect edging material, building an eye-popping water feature...the list goes on and on.
So please join me in celebrating National Public Gardens Day by visiting a public garden near you. Take your mom (Mother's Day is May 9). Take grandma. Take the kids. And take your camera.
Peace,
Paul