By Scout Nelson
North Dakota State University (NDSU) is celebrating 20 years of its colourful Horticulture Research and Demonstration Gardens with its biggest garden event yet. The celebration offers a mix of education, fun, and community service.
The day begins indoors at the Peltier Complex from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m. with a free gardening workshop. Gardeners of all levels can enjoy helpful talks such as:
- 50 Tips to Make Us All Better Gardeners by Don Kinzler
- Evolution of the NDSU Gardens by Barbara Laschkewitsch
- What’s Special About Daylilies? by Esther McGinnis
At 4:00 p.m., the event moves outdoors with a garden welcome and a special announcement at 4:15 p.m. Visitors can explore interactive booths covering topics like weed ID, cereal crops, pollinator care, and tree research. Extension Master Gardeners will be there to answer questions.
Kids can enjoy a petting zoo with sheep provided by the NDSU Sheep Unit from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. The sheep and gardens share a unique partnership—the unit donates composted manure to help enrich garden soil.
Walking garden tours take place at 4:30 and 6:45 p.m., offering a close-up view of the garden’s progress. A light meal will be served at 5:00 p.m., while supplies last.
At 5:30 p.m., Don Kinzler returns with a live demo on how to grow better annual flowers. Later, the Ryne Ortez Jazz Trio performs at 6:15 and 7:15 p.m., turning the gardens into a calm evening spot.
Photo Credit: north-dakota-state-university
Categories: North Dakota, Education, General