Green connections abound for NWA gardeners and nature lovers

“This place is such a gem! The garden is pristine, with various themed areas, including a children’s garden. My kids love this garden, including the chicken coop!” wrote Heather W. of Prairie Grove. Her description of the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks in Fayetteville is one of the reasons over 80,000 people visit the lush, green grounds of the region’s only botanical garden.

Visitors will have their senses immersed in the twelve themed gardens, including Japanese, Vegetable and Herb, Founders, Butterfly and even a Children’s Garden that revolves around a unique tree sculpture to give kids opportunities for discovery and play.

Discovery is what it’s all about at the garden. Adults can hear intriguing lectures like “Worms Eat My Garbage” (setting up a worm composting system), “If You Plant It, They Will Come” (butterfly gardening), and “Saving a National Treasure” (the Ozark Chinquapin).

Most educational programs are for children and offered year-round. Little Sprouts means green fun for preschoolers, as they learn about nature through stories, songs and craft projects like hand-made binoculars.

Garden Buds is a hands-on, summer program (June 5-Aug. 7) for elementary school students where they get to learn about plants, flowers, and vegetables. “Vegetables help you be fit,” said seven-year-old Olivia Barahona. “They are nutritious. Some of them help your eyes. Some help your heart and stuff. It’s important to know a lot of stuff and be healthy.”

Earth Days in April and Butterfly Days in October bring interactive enrichment adventures to children. The summer’s biggest event, says Liz Atwell, the communications coordinator, is Firefly Fling in July, where kids dress up in costumes and create fun craft projects.

Botanical Garden of the Ozarks is a nonprofit organization that relies on its revenue on membership dues, gifts, grants, fundraisers, rental fees and other resources. bgozarks.org

Compton Gardens in Bentonville is another regional treasure. Each day from dawn to dusk, the garden—6.5 acres of native and woodland flowers, plants and trees—is open to the public. Rare, endangered plants like the American Ginseng and the Lady Slipper Orchids add to the distinctive beauty of the garden. The annual Native Tree and Plant Sale and Gardens on Tap (a beer garden featuring local craft brewers) are popular events.

For green thumbs and nature lovers, a variety of active garden clubs give members and guests opportunities to share adventures in the beautiful flora of Northwest Arkansas.

• Flower, Garden and Nature Society of Northwest Arkansas (Springdale)

• Rogers Garden Club

• Bella Vista Garden Club

• Carroll County Beekeepers (Eureka Springs)

• Northwest Arkansas Beekeepers Association (Fayetteville)

• Botanical Garden Society of the Ozarks (Fayetteville)

• Washington County Master Gardeners (University of Arkansas, Fayetteville)

• Junior Master Gardener (a program for youth from the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension network)