There was a time when The Garden Walk was all the buzz. Of course The Garden Walk is still the premiere horticultural event of the year, but now there is an even bigger, all-encompassing event that is designed to showcase a broader scope of Greater Buffalo flora. The National Garden Festival (NGF) is scheduled to take place from June 22 – July 29, 2012. Before that date arrives, there’s plenty of preparation that needs to happen. One of the key events is scheduled to take place in conjunction with Valentine’s Day (of course). Hearts in the Garden is a fundraiser that will take place at the Botanical Gardens on Tuesday February 14 from 6pm-9pm.
The event is perfectly placed in the Botanical Gardens alongside Night Lights at The Gardens – a spectacular showing of dramatic lights that play off the tropical arrangements within the historic glass dome. “Don’t bring your sweetheart flowers, bring them TO the flowers for Valentine’s Day!” says Jim Charlier. “It’ll be a romantic (and warm) venue as you enjoy the popular NIGHT LIGHTS at the gardens, the Amaryllis & Cymbidiums display and the current Arcangel Gallery exhibition. Heavy hors d’oeuvres by Lucarelli’s, beer, and wine will be served.
“The party, chaired by Mary Ann Kresse, is to support the efforts of the Festival and in support of the nearly 1,000 gardeners that participate in the local garden tours, Open Gardens, and the NGF Front Yard Contest, gardening non-profits, garden center professionals, WNYS Landscape & Nursery Association members, National Garden Festival volunteers, landscape designers, master gardeners, and garden clubs – the real hearts in all our gardens!
“The third annual National Garden Festival is a six-week long garden party held, this year. The Festival promotes all the WNY garden tours (14 of them!), including Garden Walk Buffalo (the largest garden tour in the U.S.); it hosts Thursday and Friday Open Gardens throughout Buffalo Niagara; coordinates speakers, talks & workshops; organizes, with AAA/Horizon Club Tours, garden-themed bus tours every Friday; and makes over an entire block in a city neighborhood with the Front Yard Contest.
“Partners for the National Garden Festival include the Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens, the Olmsted Parks Conservancy, the WNYS Nursery & Landscape Association, Garden Walk Buffalo and Visit Buffalo Niagara. Other organizations involved include Buffalo in Bloom, Eighth District Federated Garden Clubs, WNY Hosta Society, WNY Daylily Society, Forest Lawn Cemetery & Arboretum, Grassroots Gardens of Buffalo and more.
“At the event, there are some great items being collected for the Silent Auction, including garden goodies, hotel overnights and a personal garden consultation by Sally Cunningham! At the party itself, we’re hoping to announce what neighborhood will participate in the Front Yard Contest and introduce a new NGF weekend kickoff event you will not want to miss.”
Hearts in the Gardens | Botanical Gardens | 2655 South Park Avenue | Tuesday February 14 | 6pm-9pm