Event Calendar
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- Registration is easy! For all programs call (405) 445-7080.
$45 per member/$55 per nonmember in advance
$60 at the door
Are you tired of wishing the crazy Oklahoma weather would cooperate with your garden? Well join us for an exciting day of garden talks where you will learn about how to develop a more sustainable garden. Come join us on March 16 at the Devon Auditorium. We have a fantastic line up of internationally known and local speakers. Sponsored by Teleflora, Meinders Foundation,and Calvert’s Plant Interiors.
Presentations Include:
Rick Darke
Sustainable Practices and The Modern Ecology
Ecological change is the signature of our age, and it is accompanied by unprecedented opportunities to embrace the new ‘Nature’ in our gardens and community landscapes. Using a global array of gardens, public places, and wild habitats as illustration, Rick Darke will discuss creative and realistic strategies for making and managing beautifully functional places in sync with changing conditions.
Neil Diboll
Drought Resistant Native Prairie Plants for Oklahoma Gardens
With the unrelenting heat and drought of the past few years, it makes sense to use native plants in our gardens whenever possible. Adapted to the rigors of our local climate, they are able to handle the extreme weather that so often comes our way. Neil will present some of the best native prairie flowers and grasses for use in Midwestern gardens. With over 35 years of experience, he provides a wealth of information, along with the 'tricks of the trade' to help you make your native garden a success!
Steve Owens
Gardening with Oklahoma’s Native Plants
In this presentation, we will get a perspective on the great diversity and beauty of Oklahoma’s native flora. We will look at several plants that are found over most of the state but also become familiar with groups of plants native to specific regions of Oklahoma. Steve will also give tips on how to grow these durable, beneficial and attractive plants in the home landscape.
Lou Anella
Drip Irrigation: Components and Design
As water resources become more limited, water conservation in the landscape is imperative. One method of saving water is the use of drip irrigation, so we will discuss the components that comprise a drip irrigation system, different methods of drip irrigation, and how they can be designed and implemented in the home landscape.
About the speakers:
Rick Darke heads a Pennsylvania-based consulting firm focused on landscape ethics, photography, and contextual design. Darke’s work blends art, ecology, and cultural geography in the design and management of livable landscapes. Projects include residential landscapes, parks, scenic byways, transportation corridors, corporate and collegiate campuses, conservation developments, and botanic gardens. Darke’s work has been featured in the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Huffington Post, RHS The Garden, Gardens Illustrated, and elsewhere. He is the author and photographer of many books including The American Woodland Garden: Capturing the Spirit of the Deciduous Forest; The Encyclopedia of Grasses for Livable Landscapes; and The Wild Garden: Expanded Edition. For further information visit: www.rickdarke.com
Neil Diboll is President of Prairie Nursery and has over 25 years of experience in prairie establishment and restoration. He designs natural landscapes for golf courses, corporate campuses, public parks, and residential settings. Neil will share his expertise in creating prairie meadows and gardens to help you establish native wildflowers and grasses on your property. His step by step approach will provide you with “tried and true” methods to convert a small area to a prairie garden or a large acreage to a beautiful prairie meadow.
Steve Owens is a lifelong horticulturist, who was inspired to garden by his father and grandfather. Most gardeners in and around Oklahoma know Steve due to his recent position as host, writer and producer of the popular OETA program Oklahoma Gardening. Steve worked for the program for more than 11 years, the last seven as show host. While doing the show, Steve was on the faculty of the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture at Oklahoma State University, and held the title of State Specialist in Consumer Horticulture with the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service. The book he co-authored, ‘Best Garden Plants for Oklahoma,’ continues to be a top seller. He and his wife also own Bustani Plant Farm.
Lou Anella is a professor of Horticulture at Oklahoma State University where he teaches plant materials, irrigation, bidding and estimating, public garden management and other classes. He also consults with communities on planting projects and is an Irrigation Foundation board member.
MAY
Kids & Family
Reading Rainforest In the Crystal Bridge
Wednesdays in May, 10-11am
Best for ages 2-5
Free for members; Nonmembers pay Crystal Bridge admission
Children will listen to a story read by a staff member in the comfort of the balmy Crystal Bridge, then enjoy working on a craft related to the story. Afterward, everyone will go on a hike through the rainforest of the Crystal Bridge. Books read will be: May 22, The Great Kapok Tree; May 29, The Hungry Caterpillar.
Friday, May 10 – Sunday May 19
Okla-Gnoma
9 am -5 pm Monday- Friday
9 am – 7 pm Saturdays & Sundays
Best for ages 3 and up
$5 per non-members; free to member children
The children’s garden has been taken over by a colony of friendly garden gnomes! Come explore their world, see their houses, and peek into what gnome life is all about. Kids play gnome games, pose for gnome photo ops, and create their own bearded creatures to take home.
Family Concert Series Presented By Devon Energy
Attention families! Gather up your crew and get your wiggle on with these FREE family-friendly concerts sure to make you smile. At press time we have three free concerts planned with Oklahoma favorites Spaghetti Eddie and Monty Harper, and there are more to come! Monty Harper has been performing since 1992 and has visited hundreds of schools, libraries, theaters, and festivals throughout Oklahoma and neighboring states.
- Monty Harper, May 18 from 1-2 on the Water Stage (during Okla-Gnoma!)
- Spaghetti Eddie, June 1 from 2-3 pm, on the Water Stage
- October concert (TBD)
- Holiday concert in December (TBD)
May 14 – 28, 10-11am
Tasty Tuesdays
Children’s Garden
Great for all ages; under 7 please bring an adult
Members Free; Nonmembers $5
Come to the Children’s Garden and learn some fun facts about edible gardening. Each Tuesday children will learn about specific vegetables, plant seedlings and seeds, then take them home and watch them grow. In no time they’ll have their own vegetable patch ready to snack on. Plants include cherry tomatoes, pumpkins, squash, sunflowers, beans, corn, herbs and more!
Saturday, May 25, 11am-noon
Pizza Gardening
Ages: 7-10
Children’s Garden
$7 member; $10 nonmember
Everyone loves pizza, especially kids! Bring your brood down to the Gardens to learn what goes into (and onto) their pizza: from wheat to pineapples to tasty spices. After a little learning, kids will make, bake and eat their own pizza, and take home basil and tomato seedlings to grow their own pizza garden at home!
Adults
Tuesdays: May 21 and 28
Zumba
5:30 – 6:30 pm, Outdoor Pavilion or Water Terrace Room
$5 member; $10 non-member
Stephanie Chaplin will lead a lively Zumba class every Tuesday evening in May. Classes will be in the Water Terrace Room or under the pavilion. Whether you are a Zumba newbie or are a Zumba champion, you’ll enjoy this class!
Saturday, May 18, 10am-noon
Love the Orchid!
Terrace Room
$10 member; $12 nonmember
What is the name of that orchid? Why can’t I get it to flower? Which orchid is right for my home? These and many other questions will be answered in our Orchid Essentials class. You will discover how to tell when your orchids need repotting and how to divide and repot them without trauma (to you or the plants!). Learn about different types of containers and potting media as well as making your own bark mix. Along with this class there will be a Crystal Bridge orchid tour as well as orchids available for purchase.
Saturday, May 18, 8-10pm
Public Star Party
Great Lawn
Free to the public
The Oklahoma City Astronomy Club will bring out a selection of powerful telescopes for an evening of discovery. Star gazers of all ages are welcome to come learn about the night sky from the experts. These scopes are so strong that the ambient city light won’t bother us at all!
Saturday, May 25, 10-11pm
Full Moon Bike Ride
Suggested donation $5 per rider.
Join the Myriad Gardens and Schlegel Bicycles as we meet and ride from the Gardens Bandshell on a full moon route through downtown Oklahoma City, the river trail and other various routes. Rides will last approximately an hour and will be at a leisurely pace to enjoy the night. The fun will continue at a nearby watering hole. Helmets and lights required to ride.
Friday, May 31, 8 – 10pm
Wise Guys Concert
Great Lawn
Free to the public; suggested donation $5 per person
Get your groove on with the Wise Guys, voted Oklahoma City’s favorite band of 2012. Bust out your dance moves or just enjoy all your favorite 70s and 80s hits at this upbeat, outdoor concert. Food Trucks and Hot dog guy will sell treats. Taste of Soul Egg Rolls will be parked at Sheridan to serve treats during the concert.
JUNE
Saturday, June 1
Furry, Scaly, Slimy Saturday!
- 10am – 3pm, Children’s Garden
- 10am – 1pm Puppy Corral, Early Bird Acres mini-petting zoo, and animal crafts
- 1pm Jungle Jim Wild Encounters
- $5 per member child; $10 per non-member child
Learn all about Jungle Jim Wild’s reptiles, amphibians, and arthropods. Cuddle with pets at the Central Oklahoma Humane Society puppy corral. Early Bird Acres will bring ducks, chicks, bunnies and more to the Children’s garden mini-petting zoo. Kids of all ages are invited to get creative with animal crafts.
Saturday, June 1, 2 – 3pm.jpg)
Spaghetti Eddie Concert presented by Devon
Water Stage • Free to the Public
Attention families! Gather up your crew and get your wiggle on with these FREE family-friendly concerts sure to make you smile. At press time we have three free concerts planned with Oklahoma favorites Spaghetti Eddie and Monty Harper, and there are more to come! Monty Harper has been performing since 1992 and has visited hundreds of schools, libraries, theaters, and festivals throughout Oklahoma and neighboring states. If you’ve never seen Spaghetti Eddie, you’re in for a treat. And if you’re a Spaghetti Eddie fan… you’re in for a treat, too. A quirky, indie take on children’s music. Office fave? Kitty Cat Town. Come see for yourselves!
Saturday, June 1, 7 – 8:30pm
Lyric Theatre 50th Anniversary Concert
Great Lawn
Free to the public
Lyric Theatre celebrates 50 wonderful years with a free concert on the lawn. Guests will get a sneak peak of all that Lyric will offer at the Civic Center with a summer series preview followed by a country style concert by Julie Johnson. All ages are welcome.
Saturday, June 8, 1 – 6pm
Beginners Basket Weaving Class
Terrace Room
Ages 14 and up
$35 members; $40 non-members
Max 12 students.
In this hands-on workshop, you will build your own Gathering Basket to take home. Artist Marcia Balleweg, owner of Oklahoma Basket Supply, will be teaching this class.
Tuesday, June 11 6 – 8pm
Lecture: Native Wild Mushrooms of Oklahoma
Terrace Room
$10 members; $12 non-members
Dr. Clark Ovrebo, Professor of Biology and mycologist at the Universit y of Central Oklahoma, and general fungi (ha!) will give a talk and lead a local field trip. Clark will introduce you to the collection and study of wild mushrooms of Oklahoma and illustrate some of the more interesting species with colored photos. On Saturday, June 15, which you may attend at no charge, he will lead a two hour walk at Lake Thunderbird State Park. Learn more at myriadgardens.org.
June 13, Noon
Brown Bag Lunch: Plant and Invasive Pests
Crystal Bridge 2nd Floor Conference Room
Free to the public
Jeanetta Cooper with the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture’s Plant Protection Program will share with the group her extensive knowledge of all manner of garden pests and what we can do to thwart them.
Sunday, June 16 
Father’s Day at the Bridge
Crystal Bridge Sunday hours are 11am-7pm
Adults: $7; Seniors (62+): $6 Active Military: $6; Students (13-19 or w/ valid college ID): $6
Children (4-12): $4; Children (under 4): FREE; Myriad Gardens Foundation Members: FREE
Groups (10+): $5 adults; $3 children (4-12)
Fathers get free admission, with one paid family member, on Father’s Day to the Crystal Bridge.
June 17-21 9:30am – 3:30pm
Junior Master Gardeners Camp
Water Plaza Room and Children’s Garden
Best for ages 7-12 • Registration Deadline: June 11
Members $100/week; Non-members $150/week
As a part of our Junior Master Gardener camp children will learn to appreciate the environment and plant world around them. The learning adventures throughout the week will see many aspects of gardening; from plant growth and ecology to soils and insects. This exploration will not only be educational but the children will have a blast getting involved. Full details at myriadgardens.org.
Thursday, June 20
Splendor in the Gardens 25th Anniversary Gala
VIP Reception 6:30; Dinner 8pm
Gardens Restaurant and Great Lawn
Individual tickets start at $125
Join Linda Haneborg, David Holt and their exuberant band of committee members to celebrate the Myriad Botanical Gardens’ first 25 years, and to raise a glass to its remarkable future, made all the brighter by its beautiful redesign. Our evening will include a VIP champagne reception followed by a beautiful, farm-to-table dinner created by the most talented local chefs including Kurt Fleischfresser, Kamala Gamble, John McBride and Avis Scaramucci, and served at one expansive, perfectly-appointed, shared table on the Great Lawn. As the sun sets against the gorgeous backdrop of the Gardens, we’ll cap off the evening by dancing the night away at our ‘Best Exotic Marigolds and Martinis’ after party.
Saturday, June 22, 10 – 11pm
Full Moon Bike Ride
Suggested donation $5 per rider
Meet at the bandshell
Join the Myriad Gardens and Schlegel Bicycles as we meet and ride from the Gardens Bandshell on a full moon route through downtown Oklahoma City, the river trail and various other routes. Rides will last approximately an hour and will be at a leisurely pace to enjoy the night. The fun will continue at a nearby watering hole. Helmets and lights required to ride.
Other scheduled rides:
- 9pm Monday, July 22
- 9pm Tuesday, August 20
- 9pm Thursday, September 19
- 10pm Frid ay, October 18
Saturday, June 29 1 – 4pm
Photography Workshop
Class begins at 2nd Floor Conference Room
$25 members; $35 non-members
OCU photography professor Sarah Hearn teaches experienced and new photographers alike the secrets of getting the perfect shot. The class will feature both practical instruction and hands on experience. This intimidation-free environment is the perfect place to hone your skills or try something new. Bring a camera!
