Garden News and Events
See also : Contact Us : About the UT Gardens
This is where you can get the latest information on the UT Gardens or find upcoming events. We offer a variety of tours, lectures, workshops and special events suitable for all ages throughout the year.
UT Farmers Market (Knoxville) - Starts May 15th
Come picnic in the gardens, buy your groceries, listen to local music and mingle!
The UT Farmers Market will be held Wednesdays from 4-7 p.m. at the UT Gardens on Neyland Drive from May 15, 2013 to October 23, 2013. Fresh produce, local food (including UT Culinary Institute creations), entertainment, children's events, educational information and more!
If you are interested in participating as a vendor, please click here.
Books and Blooms is back! Every Thursday at 10:30 A.M in the Knoxville Garden.
This popular event returns again for 2013 and features stories, songs, and crafts for the younger set. The event is free and open to the public. If you would like to be put on an email list to receive a weekly reminder about Books and Blooms, please email Derrick Stowell at: dstowell@utk.edu
School Programming - UT Gardens Knoxville
Through our school programs we hope to inspire the next generation of gardeners and provide students with valuable life skills so that they can garden at their own homes. Each program can be custom-tailored to meet the needs of your classroom. The programs are designed to meet State of Tennessee and Common Core State Standards. We currently offer two main programs for schools - Garden Trips and Go Garden.
Garden Trips are designed to enhance the school curriculum by reinforcing each teacher's educational objectives. Using the natural environment of the UT Gardens, they provide opportunities to incorporate science, math, language arts, and other educational subjects into one trip. Each program lasts two to three hours depending on your specific needs. Cost: $5 per student.
Go Garden is our traveling program which brings the garden to you. This program is designed to enhance the school curriculum. Using the natural environment around your school yard, it provides opportunities to incorporate science, math, language arts, and other educational subjects into one trip. The UT Gardens can even offer your school ideas on how to design, create, and maintain your own school garden. These sessions can be set up to accommodate a specific class or several classes at once. Cost: $5 per student.
Click here for more information on our School Programming.
Home Grown Program - UT Gardens Knoxville
The UT Gardens provides an excellent opportunity to enhance your home school program with a fun and educational hands-on session each month October thru April! Sessions are designed with Common Core Standards in minds. Because many home school families have children of all ages, these sessions are designed to meet the educational needs of children grades K-5. Each session will have a garden theme and will include activities that touch on science, math, and reading. Pre-registration is required. Cost: $5 per student (per session).
Click here for information about each month's session.
Classes and Workshops - UT Gardens Knoxville
April:
Spring Plant Sale - Saturday, April 6, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Get down to the Gardens and pick out a few cutting-edge plants for your yard. Members of the UT Gardens receive a 10% discount on purchases, so sign up for your membership before you go shopping!
Grandkids Growing: Spring into the Gardens- Saturday, April 6, 2:30-4:30 p.m. This class is for a grandparent/grandchild duo. Don't jump, spring into the Gardens. This class will teach your grandchild all about spring and why this is such an exciting time of year. Take a walk through the gardens and make a fun craft to take home and enjoy.Cost per family: $10/member, $14/nonmember.
Garden Sprouts: April Showers Bring May Flowers - Friday, April 19, 10-11:30 a.m. This class is for children ages 3-5. You've heard this saying since you were a child - bring your child to the UT Gardens and learn why it is still so accurate. See what has started blooming in the Gardens and make a flower craft to display at home until more of your favorite flowers start blooming outside. Cost: $8/member, $12/nonmember.
Garden Buds: Gardening is for the Birds - Saturday, April 20, 10 a.m. -12 p.m. This class is for children ages 6-9. Yes, birds love gardens, too - but not for the beauty or for the thrill of growing their own flowers and vegetables. Birds and other animals depend on flowers, plants, and bugs for survival. This class will teach you why having a home garden can be so helpful for native birds. Learn bird calls that you can hear in your garden and find out about some great birding resources that you can take part in. Cost: $10/member, $14/nonmember.
Adult Workshop: Bug Off! - Saturday, April 20, 1-3 p.m. Got bugs? Don't get out that pesticide just yet. This class will teach you some tricks to help control your garden pests. See why pesticides may not be your first response - they may even make some pest problems worse. Participants will take some lady bugs home to release in their own gardens. Cost: $10/member, $14/nonmember.
Click here for a pdf of children and adult classes scheduled Nov-April. Pre-registration is required for all classes. All classes will be held at the UT Gardens in Knoxville.Contact Derrick Stowell at865-974-7151 or dstowell@utk.edu to pre-register or for more information.
The UT Gardens was named a Conifer Reference Garden by the American Conifer Society. Initiated in 2007, the ACS Southeast Region offers its support for public conifer gardens in the Southeast Region. Reference Gardens offer plant professionals and the home gardener an opportunity to see live conifers in a planted setting illustrating their unique color, shapes and growth habits.
UT Horticulturist Named Contributor to Top Gardening Magazine
Institute of Agriculture horticulturist and research associate Jason Reeves is the newest contributing editor to Fine Gardening magazine. According to Fine Gardening editor Steve Aitken, Reeves was selected for his plant expertise and his commitment to providing useful, accurate information to hands-in-the-dirt gardeners. Read More
UT Gardens Knoxville installs new Meadow Garden
The popular Meadow Garden installed in summer 2009 drew admirers, both human and insect, throughout the summer. These colorful prairie wildflowers were made possible by a generous donation from Applewood Seed Company. Click below to view a short video explaining how to install a similar garden in your own landscape.
Contact The UT Gardens
UT Gardens
Department of Plant Sciences
252 Ellington Plant Sciences Bldg
2431 Joe Johnson Drive
Knoxville, TN 37996
Phone: (865) 974-8265
Fax: (865) 974-1947
Email: utgardens@utk.edu