Garden Journal

Knee-high to a grasshopper: For the budding naturalist, the North Carolina Arboretum is holding Wee Naturalist Classes beginning Monday, Aug. 25.

Preschoolers will learn about trees, birds, bears, bugs, raindrops and a whole lot more. Each class might include a physical activity, critter visits, puppets, songs, art time, stories and short nature walks.

The classes take place from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays, beginning Aug. 25. Children ages 2 to 5 are welcome to attend. Cost is $5 per child, per class (no registrations taken; walk-ins only). Visit www.ncarboretum.org for more information.

Tough bloomers, on display: You may have noticed in this summer’s drought that dahlias are one of the few plants that seem to be putting on a show. See more of them—much more—during the Annual Dahlia Society Show, scheduled at the North Carolina Arboretum for Saturday, Sept. 13, and Sunday, Sept. 14.

The event promises “hundreds of dahlia blooms in rainbow colors and multibloom variety bouquets.” A flower sale will also take place that weekend, for those with an acquisitive streak.

Visit www.carolinasdahliasociety.org to learn more about the local boosters of these tuberous beauties.

Dry and dusty: With much of Western North Carolina gripped in an “exceptional drought” category, everything from the success of your fall Brussels sprouts to the depth of your next Jacuzzi soak hangs in the balance. Don’t be left high and dry: For the latest on our region’s drought conditions, visit www.ncdrought.org.

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.