Tree Tours, Science Cafés and a Medicinal Garden Feature at the Botanical Gardens

For Immediate Release

March 3, 2014

Tree Tours, Science Cafés and a Medicinal Garden Feature at the Botanical Gardens

Buffalo, NY – New and exciting educational programs are announced at the Botanical Gardens. Saturday Morning Tree Tours will take place for the first time to explore the variety of tree species surrounding the Gardens. 2014 Science Cafés: Innuendo and Indulge will take an interesting look into the reproduction and uses of plants, and the Medicinal Garden Feature will offer a variety of presentations to highlight Nutrition and Poison Prevention Month.

Get to know some of the many tree species in the South Park Arboretum at our Saturday Morning Tree Tours. Tours will be led by Kristy Blakely, Director of Education and will take place from 9-10:30am on the following dates; March 22, April 12, April 26, May 10, May 31 and June 7. Start locations will be indicated by a Tree Tour sign at various locations on Ring Road in South Park. Each tour will focus on the trees surrounding that particular start location. Attendants are advised to wear comfortable shoes/boots and to prepare to get muddy. The cost is $5 per person, per tour. To purchase tickets, call 827-1584 ext. 291 or go to www.buffalogardens.com.

David Clark kicks off the 2014 Science Cafés with Innuendo: The Strange Sex Lives of Plants on March 25 from 6:30-8pm. Clark highlights the myriad of strange ways plants create more of themselves. You’ll never look at an orchid or a moss the same way again! Grab a few friends and join Blakely at Indulge: Delectable Botanical Luxuries on May 8 from 6:30-8pm on an exciting exploration into plants that pamper! Chocolate, wine, coffee, tea and perfume are just some of the treats we create from the botanical world. Ticket prices for each Science Café are $22 for Garden members and $25 for non-members. The Science Café series will become a regular part of the Garden’s schedule, with a second series titled Illuminate and Investigate, expected Fall of 2014. To purchase tickets, call 827-1584 ext. 291 or go to www.buffalogardens.com.

March is Nutrition and Poison Prevention Month and a special Medicinal Garden Feature will take place at the Gardens on March 22 from 10am-2pm. Activities will include: presentations about the benefits of foods from plants containing health-promoting compounds; botanical displays of edible plants which are good for health; common local plants which may be toxic to humans and pets; education regarding the prevention of accidental ingestion of toxic substances by infants and children in the home. From 10am-12pm, Independent Nursing Care will provide blood pressure screening. The Medicinal Garden is made possible by D’Youville College School of Pharmacy and Mercy Hospital of Buffalo, part of Catholic Health. All activities in the Medicinal Garden are included with Garden admission.

For more information on these events, visit www.buffalogardens.com. The Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens Society, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing appreciation for and knowledge of plant life and its connection to people and cultures through its documented living plant collection, historic conservatory, education, research and exhibits.

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