What’s Happening at the Botanical Conservatory in May
Fort Wayne, Ind. –The Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory at 1100 South Calhoun Street presents the following events and programs this month.
Featuring:
Mother’s Day Plant Sale
Friday-Sunday, May 10-12
Friday 1:00-7:00 p.m., Saturday 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., Sunday 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
McMillen Park Community Center, 3901 Abbott Street
Just in time for spring planting, the Botanical Conservatory offers over 700 varieties of plants at the annual Mother’s Day Plant Sale. Shop masses of locally grown herbs, vegetable starts, flowering perennials and native plants joining a host of annuals, mixed containers, hanging baskets, houseplants, bonsai and a variety of seeds. Essentials like potting soil and compost worms are also available. A team of knowledgeable plant advisors are even ready to answer questions and offer suggestions! This annual fundraiser supports Fort Wayne’s very own Botanical Conservatory. Sponsored by Majic 95.1 WAJI, Fox55 and Koester’s Body & Frame Shop.
Mother’s Day in the Garden
Saturday & Sunday, May 11 & 12, Public hours
Plan a special outing to the Botanical Conservatory where Moms get in free during Mother’s Day weekend. Together, browse the Conservatory Shop, visit live butterflies and admire all the lovely garden displays. The first 800 mothers to visit receive a free plant! Sponsored by Majic 95.1 WAJI and 21Alive.
National Public Gardens Week
Tuesday-Saturday, May 14-18, Public hours
All are invited to explore diverse plant collections while touring indoor and outdoor destinations at the Botanical Conservatory. As part of Fort Wayne’s downtown revitalization efforts since 1983, our mission is to “provide a unique botanical venue for quality public education and enjoyment.” Visit during National Public Gardens Week to learn, celebrate and discover all there is to see and do at your local public garden! Also take advantage of a special giveaway while supplies last. Regular admission fees apply.
Spring Bonsai Show
Saturday, May 18, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Embrace peace and harmony while immersed in a bonsai display presented by the Fort Wayne Bonsai Club. Members are present and pleased to discuss this art form. For those who would like to cultivate tranquility at home, a selection of beginning bonsai specimen and pots are available for cash-only purchase. Show entry is included with general admission.
Iris Flower Show
Sunday, May 26, 12:00-3:00 p.m.
Revel in the beauty of showy spring blooms. Members of the Northeast Indiana Iris Society display a sublime array of prized blooms in various varieties. Be sure to vote for your favorite! Members are also happy to offer helpful growing advice. Show entry is included with general admission.
Also Happening:
Color in Motion: Butterfly Exhibit
Until June 23, Public hours
Live butterflies have landed at the Botanical Conservatory bringing with them an array of natural beauty and wonder. Watch in awe, their wings in flight, as they flash with color pigments and refracted light. Observe exotic butterflies emerging from their chrysalides right before your eyes! An epic display of multicolored flowers and foliage elevates this annual spring exhibit. Sponsored by: the English Bonter Mitchell Foundation, “In memory of Jo Ann and William Wyatt,” the Fort Wayne Park Foundation, 97.3 WMEE and 21Alive.
Dani Kiefer: Wild and Free
Until June 22
Public Reception: May 19, 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Dani Kiefer is a teacher, graphic designer, illustrator and fine artist. She received a Bachelor of Arts in graphic design and photography from the University of Saint Francis in 1999. Upon graduation, she moved to Chicago and began designing exhibits and marketing materials for the Field Museum of Natural History. She continued her career in Chicago at the Chicago Botanic Garden and the Lincoln Park Zoo where her brand design for the Pritzker Family Children’s Zoo was awarded first place by the American Association of Museums. She currently teaches part-time at Concordia Lutheran High School, leads art workshops in her home studio and designs communication materials and illustrations for a variety of clients. "I’m drawn to wildflowers. They thrive in the most unlikely of circumstances. They are strong, resilient, patient, trusting, wild and free."
