Young girl laughs while looking at a rose bush in the Rose Garden, while family looks on

Fall Festival 2018 -- September 29th

Join us September 29 from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm for our Fall Festival! Check out the many programs scheduled for this year:

Seed Saving

University of Maryland Extension
Location: Lawn Terrace
10:00 am - 4:00 pm

We will be joined by a team of master gardeners from the University of Maryland Extension. Participants will learn when to collect, harvest, store and save seeds.

 

A teenage girl looks closely at a closed beehive, while family looks on. Flowering plants surround themInsects and Pollinators

Gary Hevel
Location: Lawn Terrace
10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Gary Hevel, an entomologist who worked for Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum for 40 years. He has been collecting insects from his backyard in Silver Spring since 2000. He has over 4,000 species of bees, butterflies, moth, flies… and will be with us for the day sharing his expertise and talking about the importance of pollinators.

 

Roses

Potomac Rose Society
Location: Rose Garden
10:00 am - 4:00 pm

A number of members from the Potomac Rose Society will be on hand throughout the day to teach our visitors that everyone can grow beautiful roses. With deep backgrounds in rose education and culture, these members will discuss how to grow healthy rose varieties without chemicals and talk about companion planting as illustrated in our own Rose Garden.

 

All About Bees

Eric Leavitt, USBG Horticulturist
Location: Bartholdi Park
10:00 am - 12:00 pm; 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Come learn about the BG bees and why bees are important. Eric will have demonstration hives and will share his extensive knowledge about bees with the public. After learning a fact or two about why bees are so important, participants will be able to taste our very own honey!

 

Hypertufa: Container Gardening

Santos Carillo, USBG Horticulturist
Richmond Indigenous Gourd Orchestra plays music on gourds in an outdoor concert in the National GardenLocation: Lawn Terrace
10:00 am - 12:00 pm; 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Always wanted to learn how to make your own hypertufa container or, wondered what in the world is hypertufa? Visitors will get to see a demonstration on how to make hypertufa containers. Santos will be demonstrating throughout the day and provide visitors with their own recipe for making one at home.

 

Live Music

A festival would not be the same without music and the USBG will have music throughout the festival!

  • Marsha and the Pisitrons
    10:00 am - 12:00 pm; Amphitheatre in the National Garden
    Children will love singing and dancing with Marsha and the Pisitrons as they kick off our festival at 10:00 am in the Amphitheater.
  • Kike Miguel
    12:00 pm - 2:00 pm, Kitchen Garden in Bartholdi Park
    At lunchtime, visitors will be lured across Independence Avenue with the sounds of Kike and Miguel. They will play from 12:00 noon – 2:00 pm. First your feet will start to tap and before you know it you will be thinking of your salsa moves. Speaking of salsa, visitors should check out our Kitchen Garden which serves as a backdrop for Kike and Miguel.
  • Richmond Indigenous Gourd Orchestra
    1:30 pm - 3:30 pm; Amphitheatre in the National Garden
    Fall in love with gourds as you join us in our Amphitheater for a performance by The Richmond Indigenous Gourd Orchestra starting at 1:30 pm. You guessed right – their instruments are made out of gourds, as are some of their shoes and hats. It is hard to describe them and after hearing them, you will never forget them.

 

Three adult women look on as a USBG volunteer welcomes then to watch a cooking demonstrationCooking Demonstrations

No worries, you do not have to learn the Garden to taste some great recipes.

  • The Cook Sisters
    10:00 am - 12:00 pm; Location: Lawn Terrace
    The Cook Sisters will be making several recipes with a number of plants currently growing in our Kitchen Garden. Learn how to make them, have a taste and take a recipe.
  • Latin American Flavors Cooking
    1:00 pm - 3:00 pm; Location: Bartholdi Park
    Spice things up and head across the street to our Kitchen Garden in Bartholdi Park and sample some recipes being made by Latin American Flavors Cooking. They will be on hand from 12:00-3:00 pm.

 

Hands-On Activities

10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Both in our National Garden and Bartholdi Park, there will be hands-on activities that run throughout the festival.

Bartholdi Park

  • Learn how to identify trees by their leaves while making beautiful art with local fine arts master, Kyosha Johnson.
  • Using the Bartholdi Park Field Guide, explore the garden and learn about rain gardens, repurposing, and sustainable practices.
  • Ray Mims, USBG Conservation Horticulturalist, will be on hand to answer questions and highlight this recently renovated garden.

National Garden

Interested in getting your hands dirty?

  • Come learn all about herbs from members of the Herb Society of America and pot up an herb to take home!
  • Planting a pollinator garden is as easy as making a seed ball. Mix together soil, clay, and a pollinator seed mix and you’ll have your very own pollinator garden to take home!
  • Using the National Garden Field Guide, explore the Regional Garden and learn about native plants and how to create a healthy ecosystem.

Child makes her own spice blend with the help over a woman volunteering during a festival