The Gardens at Texas A&M University turns eight with Summer Celebration
Free, family-friendly event on June 13 offers educational activities and landscape inspiration
The Gardens at Texas A&M University marks its eighth birthday this summer with its annual Summer Celebration on June 13. This milestone reflects years of growth into one of the most beloved green spaces in the Brazos Valley.
The celebration will be held from 9-11:30 a.m. at the Leach Teaching Gardens, 556 John Kimbrough Blvd., College Station.
Festivities include fun for everyone
The Summer Celebration is more than a birthday party — it’s a morning packed with hands-on fun and learning for the whole family. Kids can get their faces painted and enjoy ice cream and fresh fruit as they explore the grounds. A photo wall offers a festive backdrop for family pictures throughout the event.
Beyond the birthday festivities, visitors can browse educational demonstrations and activity tables led by the Junior Master Gardeners, the Brazos County Master Gardeners and Texas Manure. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just getting started, you’ll find practical tips and inspiration for your own backyard — from drought-tolerant plants that thrive in the Texas heat to ideas for attracting pollinators and birds to your landscape.
A Sensory-Free/Quiet Zone will be available for anyone who may want or need a quieter environment at any point during the event.
Celebrate eight years of growth and beauty
The Leach Teaching Gardens is a 7-acre area of the first phase of The Gardens, featuring 22 themed gardens, an event lawn, an outdoor classroom, a demonstration area and a pavilion for special events.
Since opening in 2018, The Gardens has grown into a cornerstone of campus and community life, said Michael Arnold, Ph.D., director of The Gardens and professor in the Department of Horticultural Sciences.
“The Gardens have become a beloved campus location — a place where over 20 garden vignettes demonstrate varied themes that can be implemented in our regional landscapes,” Arnold said.
“We have become a favorite for graduation, prom and homecoming pictures, as well as the site of numerous AgriLife Extension multimedia outreach programming activities,” he said. “The upcoming birthday celebration is one of five major events we host each year, many of which exceed 1,000 visitors in attendance.”
Celebrate all month long
The celebration will continue throughout June with different ways to embrace summer and enjoy the fun after the event, including:
- A scavenger hunt to explore The Gardens as you race to see who can find all items on the list first.
- The Feathered Friends of Summer map to learn about which birds visit The Gardens during the summer.
- Watering cans located near the Kitchen Garden to cool off the plants.
- Delicious summer recipes from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service‘s Dinner Tonight program:
For more information on the event, visit gardens.tamu.edu/birthday-celebration/.
Free parking is available in Lots 97 and 100. For more information about directions or parking, visit The Gardens’ parking and transportation page.
The Gardens is open to visitors daily from dawn to dusk.
