The Gardens at Texas A&M hosts Summer Celebration
Family fun planned for Aggieland
The Gardens at Texas A&M University is marking its fifth birthday June 3 with a party from 9-11:30 a.m. during its annual Summer Celebration.
Celebrate five years of growth and beauty
The Leach Teaching Gardens, the 7-acre Phase I of The Gardens, is a campus sanctuary with 21 themed gardens, an event lawn, an outdoor classroom, a demonstration area and a pavilion.
“The Leach Teaching Gardens opened on June 15, 2018,” said Michael Arnold, Ph.D., director of The Gardens and professor in the Department of Horticultural Sciences in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
“In the past five years, campus faculty and students, the local community and visitors have embraced learning about gardening, agriculture, natural resource conservation and just enjoying nature and attending fun-filled events throughout the year,” said Arnold.
Learn about birds and hummingbirds
The birthday festivities include face painting, a scavenger hunt, a bubble station, a coloring station and crafts, all centered around bird- and hummingbird-themed activities.
“The Gardens is in the migratory path of many birds and provides plants and other spaces that serve as food sources as well as habitat,” said Kat Grier, coordinator of educational programming and outreach for The Gardens.
“It has become a popular spot for birdwatchers and an oasis for the birds,” said Grier.“ The hummingbird is a favorite of many visitors, and it has quickly become the unofficial mascot of The Gardens.”
Experience The Gardens at your own pace
Other kid friendly activities will include a summer floral demonstration by the Brazos County Master Gardeners, and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Junior Master Gardener staff will help kids build an insect aspirator or “bug sucker” to collect insects to study up close.
As visitors stroll through The Gardens, they can enjoy cotton candy, snow cones, a taste-testing of some unusual summer melons and other refreshments.
During the event, a Sensory Free/Quiet Zone will be available for anyone who may want or need a quieter environment at any point during the event.
Free parking is available in Lot 97, Lot 100c or Lot 122. More information about directions, parking and related information are available on The Gardens transportation page.
Month-long celebration
Grier said the Summer Celebration continues throughout June, and here are more ways to enjoy the fun:
- Download a scavenger hunt and explore The Gardens as you race to see who can find all of the items first.
- Check out this Feathered Friends of Summer map to learn about a few of the birds that visit The Gardens during the summer months.
- Cool the plants off — and yourself — by using the watering cans by the Kitchen Garden.
- Create and enjoy one of these delicious summer recipes from the AgriLife Extension Dinner Tonight program:
For more information, visit https://gardens.tamu.edu/birthday-celebration/. The Gardens is open to visitors daily from dawn to dusk.
