by Patricia R. Drackett , Director, The Crosby Arboretum.

 

Happy Spring!

The native azaleas are GORGEOUS and the Iris and pitcher plants are blooming.

 

Please join us this Saturday for a walk or some great programs.  Call 601-799-2311 to register (we open Wed at 9:00)  Mark your calendar for our big plant sale on Mar. 31 & Apr. 1, and our Strawberries & Cream Festival Sunday, Apr. 16, featuring a CUPCAKE CONTEST!

 

FAMILY NATURE CRAFTS WORKSHOP

              Saturday, March 18, 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.   

Families will enjoy creating nature-themed crafts together in these fun workshops! As all children must be accompanied by an adult, there is no minimum age requirement. The cost is $3 for members (adults and children), and for all non-members $6. Registration required.

 

SPRING NATIVE PLANT FIELD WALK 

Saturday, March 18, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.

Enjoy a spring field walk around the Arboretum grounds while learning about the native plant species in the exhibits, tips for their identification, and how to use them in your home landscape, with Arboretum Director Pat Drackett. Members are free; $5 for non-members.

 

CONTROLLING WILD HOGS

Friday, March 24, 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.

Feral hogs are a non-native, invasive species that are spreading at an alarming rate, presenting serious issues for property owners. Learn about the types of damage these nuisance wildlife cause, the control options available, and how the animals came to be such a problem, with Pearl River County Extension Agent Dr. Eddie Smith. This Extension program is free to all. Please call to register.

 

PINE NEEDLE BASKET-MAKING

Six workshops!  Three separate days!  SAT Mar. 25 ~ FRI Apr. 14 ~ SUN May 21 

[9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.]  OR  [1:00 – 4:00 p.m.]

Back by public demand! Learn how to get started in crafting pine needle baskets with skilled basket maker Denine Jones. Participants will be introduced to basic pine needle basketry techniques and begin a basket in the workshop. Methods and resources will be provided so you may continue to work on your own. A craft kit with needle and thread is included in your fee. The program is best suited to ages 14 and up. Reservations required. Limit 12 persons per session. Members $20; non-members $25.

 

SPRING GALLERY EXHIBIT: Melanie Eubanks

On display through May 31, 2023

Melanie Eubanks is an art instructor at Jones College in Ellisville where she has taught painting, ceramics, and more since 1994. Melanie grew up in Pascagoula and is a graduate of The University of Southern Mississippi, where she earned a BFA in Painting and Drawing and an MAEd in Art Education. Melanie makes paintings and pottery for interior spaces, which usually reflect the natural world. Her still-life paintings of plants are explorations of color, texture, and light which are calm and still. More information about Melanie’s work is provided in her Artist’s Statement posted in the Gallery.

 

Arboretum Spring Native Plant Sale!

March 31 & April 1 (Fri/Sat), 10 a.m. to Noon

(Members enter each day at 9:00 a.m.)

Join us for one of the largest spring sales in years! Grab your cart (or bring your own) and browse our outstanding selection of native plants for your spring planting projects. Knowledgeable staff, volunteers, and Mississippi Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer plant questions and help you choose plants suited to your property’s unique environmental conditions. Free admission.  Use the Service Road entrance. The sale is on the Visitor Center loop drive.

 

Pine Needle Basket-Making

Friday, April 14 (see previous description)

 

Yoga on the Pinecote Pavilion

Saturday, April 15, 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.

Bring your yoga mat and a friend and come enjoy the natural beauty surrounding the Pinecote Pavilion in this class with certified yoga instructor Jim Sones. Limited to 16.  Best suited to ages 14 and up.  Please arrive 10 minutes early. Members $2; non-members $6. Reservations requested.

 

How to Design a Pollinator Garden!

Saturday, April 15, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.

Learn about the value of pollinators and how to create gardens that will attract and support them. These low-care landscapes can save you time and money, work with ecological processes, and contribute to healthy local biodiversity. Spend more time sitting in your garden and not laboring in it, with Arboretum Director Pat Drackett. Registration required. Members are free; $5 for non-members.

 

Crosby Arboretum’s Annual

STRAWBERRIES & CREAM FESTIVAL!

SUNDAY, April 16, 1:00 – 3:00 PM

Bring your friends and family out to celebrate the history of the Crosby Arboretum’s former use as a Depression-era strawberry farm. Enjoy live music and giveaways, fresh strawberries and ice cream, and Picayune Frog Lemonade, participate in a children’s cupcake decorating contest (see website for rules), and much more!  The event will be held at the Pinecote Pavilion. Free Admission!