CHEEKWOOD ANNOUNCES 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE HOWE WILDFLOWER GARDEN

NASHVILLE, TN – The spectacular Howe Wildflower garden at Cheekwood Botanical Garden & Museum of Art will celebrate its 40th anniversary with many programs and events during the month of April. The garden owes its beginning to Cora B. Howe, a devoted gardener and lover of wildflowers. Over many years Mrs. Howe labored to shape her garden at her home in East Nashville, planting native wildflowers and carefully placing trees and shrubs. She called her garden “Wildings.”

The garden was given to Cheekwood by Mrs. Howe’s beneficiaries in 1968 and it was moved from Mrs. Howe’s home to its present location in April, 1969. The stone house used by Mrs. Howe as a tool shed and her rock wall were dismantled and reconstructed at Cheekwood. Hundreds of plants were dug and transplanted.

The Howe Wildflower Garden is the special project of The Garden Club of Nashville, an affiliate of The Garden Club of America, and it is to this organization that the garden owes its funding and support. In celebration of the 40th Anniversary of this magnificent garden, Cheekwood and The Garden Club of Nashville will offer many programs and events throughout the month of April. More details are available on the web at cheekwood.org.

Wildflower Wednesdays – Explore the Howe Wildflower Garden and learn about its history with one of Cheekwood’s expert gardeners. Standing tours offered each Wednesday in April at 1:00 pm.

Howe Wild! Auction & Cocktail Supper – Thursday, April 2 – Join us in Botanic Hall on Thursday evening for the Howe Wild! Auction and Cocktail Supper. This evening benefitting the Howe Wildflower Garden will feature great plants in both a live and silent auction. Tickets are $100 per person and can be purchased in advance by calling Sarah Keith Maxcy at 615-665-0303.

Native Plant Sale – Saturday, April 4 – Over 50 different varieties of wildflowers and native plants will be available to buy for one day only – 10:00 am to 3:30 pm! Don’t miss out on this opportunity to bring some new native beauties to your garden.

Designing with Natives – Tuesday, April 7 – Want to incorporate native plants into your garden, but don’t know where to start with the design? Join Mike Berkley, co-owner of GroWild Nursery, Inc. in Fairview, Tennessee for a lively lecture on designing with native plants at 2:00 pm. Learn the basic design elements and discover the Middle Tennessee natives that are guaranteed to thrives in your landscape.

Lunch & Lecture – History of the Howe Wildflower Garden – Thursday, April 16 - Learn about the history and journey of one of Cheekwood’s most acclaimed gardens while enjoying a delicious lunch. After lunch, enjoy the Howe Wildflower Garden at the height of its blooming season with one of Cheekwood’s Botanical Garden staff.

Container Creations – Wildflowers – Saturday, April 25 – Create your own eye-catching container of native plants and wildflowers at 10:00 am on Saturday morning. All plant material and supplies provided by Cheekwood.

Howe Wildflower 40th Anniversary Celebration – Wednesday, April 29 – Enjoy Gingersnaps & Lemonade in the garden, along with a full day of activities.
10:00 am – History of the Howe Wildflower Garden – Learn about the history and journey of one of Cheekwood’s most acclaimed gardens. From its beginnings in East Nashville in the early 1920’s to its move to Cheekwood in 1969 - this month marks the 70th year of Cora Howe’s exquisite garden at Cheekwood.
11:00 am – 3:00 pm – Guided Tours – offered on the hour. Explore the Howe Wildflower Garden and learn about its history with one of Cheekwood’s expert Garden Guides. And, just as a visit to Mrs. Howe’s Garden wasn’t complete without gingersnaps and lemonade, each tour will include her signature refreshments!

On sunny spring Sunday afternoons, after church and Sunday dinner, many a Nashvillian from the 1930’s to the 1960’s, took a drive over to 1925 East Greenwood Avenue for a look at “Wildings.” The eight acres, filled with dogwoods, redbuds, azaleas and a half acre of wildflowers, all under a canopy of venerable oaks, beeches, maples and hickories, was for almost forty years one of Nashville’s most famous gardens. It was featured in books and magazines and attracted numerous visitors each day. Mrs. Howe herself warmly welcomed the visitors she loved so well, offering lemonade and homemade cookies along with a personal tour of the garden.

Cheekwood is a 55-acre botanical garden and art museum located on the historic Cheek estate. Cheekwood exists to celebrate and preserve its landscape, buildings, and art and botanical collections, and, through these unique means provide an inspiring place for visitors to explore their connections with art, nature and the environment. Cheekwood is located at 1200 Forrest Park Drive in Nashville, 8 miles southwest of downtown Nashville. Open Tuesday – Saturday 9:30 am – 4:30 pm and Sunday 11:00 am – 4:30 pm For further information call 615-356-8000 or visit www.cheekwood.org.