Garden Artists

As the long weekend beckons, it may be time to try something new with your free time – perhaps exploring a potpourri of botany and art. The USF Botanical Gardens is inviting everyone to the first workshop of the yearlong series, Cultivate Your Creativity. This particular workshop unfurls the art of creating topiaries and constructing garden décor, such as stepping stones and rain barrels.

Kim Hutton, special events coordinator for the gardens, and Angel Miller, USF freshman and assistant gardener will display their artistic techniques with live demonstrations and share their gardening methods with the audience.

Three workshop areas will be open in which visitors may participate in hands-on activities, including making artistic rain barrels to conserve water and creating personalized stepping stones.

Participants may also indulge in exploring the art of topiary – clipping plants into shapes. Miller will be showing samples of her work and sharing her trimming techniques with attendees.

“I am very excited about teaching some of the workshops, like the topiary one. I am looking forward to the event,” Miller said. “I’ve already cut a couple of plants – in shapes of an alligator and a snake – to present to the people during the workshop. It’s something that anyone could learn and make use of in their garden.”

The Cultivate Your Creativity: Topiaries, Stepping Stones and Rain Barrels workshop takes place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The rain barrel workshop costs $25, the stepping stones workshop is $12 and the topiaries workshop is $20. All three activities will be offered on a first-come, first-serve basis while supplies last.