Fun experiences, events, and spectacular blooms. Get growing in the new season with Holden Forests & Gardens.

FOR IMMEDIATE REALEASE

(CLEVELAND) March 9, 2023 – Spring has sprung at the Cleveland Botanical Garden! Enjoy a captivating way to experience the great outdoors and get in touch with nature. The gardens are awakening in the new season, and you will not want to miss it! Cleveland Botanical Garden hours are Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. and Sunday 12 p.m.-5 p.m. The first official day of the spring season is Monday, March 20, 2023. 

Spring at the Cleveland Botanical Garden Photos 

RETURN OF THE BUTTERFLIES on Saturday, April 1st
To celebrate the arrival of spring in a big way, Holden Forests & Gardens presents Return of the Butterflies at the Cleveland Botanical Garden – a visual treat with more than 600 newly emerged butterflies in the Costa Rica biome. The butterflies in the Costa Rica biome will bring the Glasshouse to life in a colorful, moving, and exhilarating way!  Starting April 1st, there will be a public butterfly release Tuesdays-Sundays daily at 2 p.m. in the biome. Visitors will learn about the butterflies, and even assist with the release!

REOPENING OF HERSHEY CHILDREN’S GARDEN on April 1st
Help your child disconnect from technology and discover the wonders of nature. As they explore plant and animal life, they’ll have a new appreciation for the environment. They can become immersed in hands-on activities like observing honeybees in their hive, searching for fish, frogs, and turtles in the pond, exploring and playing in nature’s playground, and so much more!

FREE ADMISSION DAY Friday, April 28th – ARBOR DAY 2023 
Celebrate trees with us on Friday, April 28th! Enjoy free admission to the Cleveland Botanical Garden and a free tree seedling giveaway while supplies last.

HOUSE PLANT EXIHBIT
Starting on Saturday, March 18^th, the Cleveland Botanical Garden is excited to have a wide array of house plants! While spring comes to life in our outdoor gardens, beautiful house plants will fill the indoor spaces of the botanical garden. Before checking out the butterflies and outdoor blooms, learn a few tips and tricks for house plant care from our House Plant Exhibit..

MIDWEST CACTUS AND SUCCULENT SOCIETY SALE & SHOW 
Join us on March 25th from 10 a.m. and March 26th from 12-5 p.m. to secure your succulents at this highly anticipated sale of the year. Please note, this event fills up fast and so does our parking garage, so consider parking on the street which is free on the weekends! Registration is not required. This sale is cash and check only.

OPENING in MAY – Geis Terrace Allee Big Bloom, designed by Cleveland artist Asia Armour. Asia’s art celebrates the beauty of Black women, vibrant color and the wonder of flowers. Working closely with Horticulturist Rob Dzurec, Asia created a work of art, that will burst forth from the ground beginning in late April.   

SPRING EGG HUNT 
Join us on Saturday April 8th, 9 a.m.- Noon for an eggceptionally fun day at the Cleveland Botanical Garden. New this year, there will be no official “start” time to the egg hunt. Eggs will be continually hidden all morning long; once each hunter has received their 10 natural seed bomb eggs, they can retrieve their delicious prize at our candy station. Our seed bomb eggs are a great way to avoid plastic and encourage planting. Visitors can look forward to learning about seed dispersal in unconventional ways- leaping, twisting, and running! Advance registration is required.

MOTHER’S DAY BOUTIQUE & BRUNCH  

• Mother’s Day Boutique:  Join us on Sunday May 14^th from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. for a fun shopping experience in collaboration with Made Cleveland. Support local vendors and shop for unique gifts that you won’t be able to find anywhere else!  
• Annual Mother’s Day Brunch: Feast on flowers and food at this year’s Mother’s Day Brunch. Join us on Sunday May 14th, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Come enjoy a delicious meal surrounded by the beauty of the botanical garden. Make sure to capture the moment at our insta-worthy photo spots. Take a stroll through the blooming beds as this time of year might just be the best for enjoy the gardens. Look for updates about tickets on holdenfg.org.  

Our Outdoor Gardens  
Whether you’re a budding plant-lover or deep-rooted botanist, our beautiful campus has something for everyone. In late March and early April, visit our gardens to spot the first sights of spring! Look for blooming snowdrops, witch-hazels, lenten rose, spicebush, and more. Catch the first glimpse of blooming spring bulbs on the Geis Terrace. Let your love of nature draw you to the Japanese Garden where every detail matters. Take refuge among towering trees and enjoy a brief escape from our bustling city in our Woodland Garden. Head to the Western Reserve Herb Society Garden where there are over 3,500 plants, a collection used for dyes, historic roses, culinary needs, and medicinal remedies, just to name a few. Additionally, don’t forget to stroll through our Gateway Garden, Perennial Garden, Restorative Garden, Inspiration Gardens, Rose Garden, and Topiary Garden on your visit.

ARTWORK ON DISPLAY

BORUCA MASKS
Starting on March 20th, there will be 28 Boruca Masks on display in the Eppig Gallery. The Boruca (also known as the Brunca or the Brunka) are the indigenous people living in Costa Rica. The tribe has about 2,660 members, most living on a reservation in the Puntarenas Province in southwestern Costa Rica, a few miles away from the Pan-American Highway following the Rio Terraba. The Boruca are best known for their handcrafted masks that are used during the Juego de los Diablitos (The Dance of the Little Devils) festival, the traditional New Years celebration in Costa Rica. There will be Boruca Masks for sale in the Garden Store.

MEAGAN REED
 From March 18^th through May 21^st, artwork from Meaghan Reed will be on display in the Perennial Playspace. For Reed, abstracting elements of design from nature is where her process begins. Careful study and consideration are taken for each subject she selects. The work is not intended to be an exact replication but a feeble impression of its brilliance and complexity. Using acrylic plexiglass, acrylic paint, wood, and resin, Reed creates nature inspired masterpieces filled with beautiful details and vibrant colors.

GET GROWING SPRING CLASSES 

Be better to the planet, beginning in your backyard 

CLEVELAND BOTANICAL GARDEN BOOK CLUB                                                                                              
Join us on Wednesday, March 29th, from 3-4 p.m. to discuss books that open a window to the great outdoors! It’s free with admission and open to anyone who read the book, but please register in advance for the session you will be attending. Please leave small children at home, but older ones with interest in the topic may attend, especially if they’ve read the book with you. Didn’t quite finish the book? As long as you don’t mind spoilers, come anyways and discuss the bits you got to.  Registration Link Here

BOTANICAL PAINTING & DRAWING                                                                                                           
Tuesdays, April 18th- May 23rd, 2 p.m.- 4:30 p.m. This six-week series will be held in person at the Cleveland Botanical Garden. Learn composition skills and techniques of botanicals including line, form, shading techniques, and layering using inspiration from the natural world with instructor Susan Gray Be. This class welcomes all levels of experience and mediums. Registration Link Here

HOUSE PLANTS 101 & 102                                                                                                                                      
Join us on Saturday, April 1st and April 15th from 10:30 a.m.- 12 p.m. to discover your green thumb with the help of Nature Kollektiv’s Deyampert Giles!

House Plants 101: Whether you’re choosing a new house plant or trying to keep an old one alive, this class will help beginners tackle the basics. Participants will draw inspiration from the house plant exhibit at Cleveland Botanical Garden and leave with the skills to brighten their living space with living plants.

House Plants 102: Are you ready to expand your knowledge and collection of house plants? This class builds off the basics of house plant care, focusing on more specific and challenging topics like pests and propagation. Led by Nature Kollektiv’s Deyampert Giles, participants will learn how to take cuttings and identify and prevent plant pests. Registration Link Here   

Plant ID: SESSION I & II
Saturday, April 29th and Friday, May 5th from 1-3 p.m. at the Cleveland Botanical Garden. Cost: $50 per member, $65 per nonmember.

GROWING GREAT VEGETABLES WITH AUTHOR BEVIN COHEN
Saturday, May 13th from 10:30 a.m.- 12 p.m. at the Cleveland Botanical Garden. Cost: $30 per member, $45 per non-member.

SUMMER CAMPS
We are excited to provide day camps at the Cleveland Botanical Garden this summer for children in rising grades 1-7. Each unique themed camp is packed with outdoor exploration, hands-on learning, and physical and creative activities that will get kids connected and excited about nature. Full List of Summer Camps Here

About Holden Forests & Gardens 
Holden Forests & Gardens is made up of two of Northeast Ohio’s most important environmental and cultural institutions — the Holden Arboretum and Cleveland Botanical Garden — whose mission is to connect people with the wonder, beauty, and value of trees and plants, to inspire action for healthy communities. The 14th largest public garden in the country, Holden Forests & Gardens has over 17,000 member households and an annual attendance of over 350,000 for whom we strive to provide inspirational and educational visitor experiences. For more information, visit holdenfg.org.

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