Tawes Garden’s first Native Plant Festival will take place on Saturday, September 16th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Tawes Garden is adjacent to the Department of Natural Resources building off 580 Taylor Ave. in Annapolis, right next to the Naval Academy Stadium. There is free parking along Herbert M. Sachs Dr., off Taylor Avenue, the street fronting the DNR building.
NOTE: The event below, Arts Alive 25, was held on September 8, 2023.
Tawes Garden is a 5-acre mix of forest, streams, a pond, and cultivated gardens showcasing native plants, shrubs and trees representing each of the unique regions of the state. It is also home to the Plant Mural, filled with flowering plants native to Maryland.
At this time of year, many gardeners think about changes to their landscape.
The Festival offers a special opportunity to explore this gem of an urban garden to gain inspiration and knowledge about incorporating native plants into the mix.
Native plants are of special interest because they are adapted to the local climate. “They provide year-round food and habitat for a host of native pollinators and are easier to maintain,” said Kathy Devine, an Anne Arundel County Master Gardener and co-chair of the Tawes Gardener project.
Representatives and booths from local groups supporting native plants and sustainable gardening, including Bay Wise, Project Butterfly and Bumblebee, Chesapeake Coastal Services, Master Gardeners Native Pollinators Group, and Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council, will be there. Tawes volunteer Master Gardeners will also be available to help answer gardening questions and help attendees learn about the many native plants that are in the Plant Mural demonstration garden.
Visitors can take advantage of a short self-guided QR-based tour that describes the different geographic areas represented within the garden. And if QR codes are still a mystery, volunteers will help people navigate them!
The Festival is free and open to all.
The Tawes Garden in Annapolis, MD forms the Maryland Department of Natural Resources campus. The Garden is a valuable natural resource for the people of Maryland. It is a destination for visitors and a sanctuary for wildlife.
