The community is invited to the Summer Celebration on June 14, an annual celebration of the Leach Teaching Gardens at The Gardens at Texas A&M University and the beginning of summer.

Young girl sits on a bench beside a sculpture of a gardener made of terra cotta flower pots.
Photo and selfie opportunities abound at the Summer Celebration at the Leach Teaching Gardens on June 14. (Robert O’Brien)

The free, family-friendly event will be held from 9-11:30 a.m. at the Leach Teaching Gardens, 556 John Kimbrough Blvd., College Station.

The birthday-themed annual festival is an opportunity to enjoy a beautiful green space and gain inspiration for plants and landscaping for your own home.

“As a teaching garden, the plants grown here are adapted to the local climate, soil and water,” said Michael Arnold, Ph.D., director of The Gardens and professor in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Horticultural Sciences. “Visitors can learn about beautiful, drought- and heat-tolerant plants that thrive in our summer heat.”

Here are four ways to enjoy the lively summer fun:

1. Enjoy the birthday party vibes

The birthday party theme celebrates the Leach Teaching Gardens, which opened on June 15, 2018.

“The Summer Celebration always has a birthday flair,” said Kat Grier, The Gardens educational programming and outreach coordinator. “So, we’ll have face painting for the kids, cupcakes and fun favors like you see at birthday parties.”

Adult woman applies face painting to young girl at the Summer Celebration in the Leach Teaching Gardens.
Party hats and fans for the Summer Celebration.
Youn girl wearing a baseball cap plays an outdoor puzzle game at the Leach Teaching Gardens.
Birthday fun and games await visitors at the Summer Celebration. (Robert O’Brien)

2. Learn how to create a backyard habitat

The Brazos Valley Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists will demonstrate how to incorporate native plants to attract birds, pollinator insects and beneficial insects to your landscape.

3. Create crafts and take part in educational games

Create do-it-yourself binoculars and use them for birdwatching in The Gardens, guided by a map that shows areas where you might find specific bird species.

Learn about the life cycle of a sunflower and plant sunflower seeds in a small pot to transport to your garden.

The Brazos County Master Gardeners, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Junior Master Gardeners and the Bryan-College Station Public Library will be on hand with other crafts and games for kids of all ages.

Young boys
Young girl fills watering can at The Leach Teaching Gardens.
Enjoy a variety of crafts and activities at the annual Summer Celebration. (Robert O’Brien)

4. Be inspired

Framed by a cutout of a butterfly in the Butterfly Garden sign in the Leach Teaching Gardens, a woman and man examine pink flowers in a raised-bed garden.
Enjoy discovering new plants and seeing old favorites. Plants in the Leach Teaching Gardens are adapted to local weather, soil and water. (Robert O’Brien)

As you stroll through The Gardens, discover the various experiences the 22 themed gardens offer on gardening, agriculture and natural resources.

“I hope that first-time and repeat visitors not only have fun, but also see The Gardens as a resource for the entire Bryan-College Station area to learn about plants and other information and programming available from Texas A&M AgriLife,” Grier said.

Make the most of your visit to The Gardens

Free event parking is available in Lot 100c or Lot 97. Directions and related information are available online at The Gardens transportation page.

Bring your camera or smartphone and share the fun by tagging #TAMUGardens.

A Sensory-Free/Quiet Zone will be available during the event for anyone who may want or need a quieter environment at any point during the event. 

For more information and seasonal inspiration, visit Summer Celebration and follow The Gardens on Instagram and Facebook.

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