Bullington Gardens

Hendersonville NC Arboretum, Gardens & Horticultural Education Center

Mon. – Sat. 8 am – 4:30 pm

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BOOST

by Bullington Gardens

 

BOOST (Bullington Onsite Occupational Student Training) is a program for sophomores in the Occupational Course of Study in four county high schools focuses on imparting basic job skills as students work on the trails, gardens and grounds. The culminating activity is a garden competition where students design, budget, grow plants and plant based on their chosen theme. The Best Garden is awarded at the school year’s final celebrations as well as Most Valuable Workers from each school.

Bullington Gardens News & Featured Events

Bullington Gardens March 2018 Update

03/01/2018-03/31/2018
Bullington Gardens Event(12:00 PM-12:30 PM)

Bullington Gardens March 2018 Update

Bullington Gardens has been busy getting ready for our Spring Plant Sale. Volunteers along with Kelsey and John have been busy in the greenhouse transplanting seeds & plants and finding more space for them. Always a challenge with so many varieties of plants to offer. We will have more plants this year than ever before for our sale so come prepared to bring home some beautiful new plants for your gardens!

Our resident Dahlia guru, Brian Killingsworth, has been bringing the Dahlias out of storage and out of their dormancy in preparation for Dahlia Daze, They will be planted mid-May. Expect a gorgeous display as always.

The Horticultural Therapy groups have planted potatoes in their vegetable gardens. Some of the students come to school specifically because of this program! The ability to see things bloom and change due to their efforts is a real boost. Add in the opportunity to create something and the smiles don’t stop. It is so encouraging to know Bullington Gardens is making such a positive impact in their lives.

Our BOOST students have chosen their themes for their gardens. The next step is creating elements to go with it. They are working on transplanting their plants. Some of our students have come up with some really elaborate gardens with complex features that aren’t plant related. It will be very interesting to see their finished gardens!

John has been busy with the Elementary School Programs. This month, he has focused the lessons on insects and their relationship with plants. Over 40 classes from kindergarten thru third grade will visit Bullington to walk the gardens looking for signs of insects. Indoor activities will focus on live and pinned insects for them to examine. They will also plant Marigold seeds for Mother’s Day.

We would like to say a special thank you to all of our dedicated volunteers for all the hard work, time and love you give to Bullington Gardens. We are humbled and grateful for your support.

Location: Bullington Gardens

(828) 698-6104

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Bullington Gardens Monthly Activities Update-February 2018

02/01/2018-02/28/2018
Bullington Gardens Event(9:00 AM-9:00 AM)

Bullington Gardens Monthly Activities Update-February 2018

    Our BOOST students received their seeds and have been busy planting their gardens. We are so excited to see their creativity bloom as they implement their designs. Students have to learn how to design, plant and decorate their garden on a very limited budget. Sometimes this means scavenging for design elements from the property and plenty of good old-fashioned elbow grease! They’ve also been helping to mulch the gardens to make way for new shrubs & trees.
    Our horticulture therapy groups are planting vegetable gardens with winter vegetables. Care must be exercised at every step to ensure their gardens are successful. Preparing the soil, caring for the seedlings and making certain the vegetables have the nutrients they need to survive is an essential part of vegetable gardening. It can also be taken as a metaphor for life and is one of the lessons we hope will stay with them.
    We are continuing with the Inheritable Traits classes in our Elementary School Program. John has been busy visiting local schools and sharing with them how plants and humans inherit their traits which includes an investigation into several kinds of plants and the specific inheritable traits that results in its likeness as well as discussing those traits not inherited. The discussion will also extend to animals and humans. This helps students explain why organisms differ from or are similar to their parents based on characteristics and gives examples of likenesses that are inherited and some that are not.
    John will have an article in the Hendersonville Times News this month on pollinators; an important aspect of every garden and a vital component in the food chain. One third of all agricultural output depends on pollinators. Birds, bats, bees, butterflies, beetles, and other small mammals that pollinate plants are responsible for one out of every three bites of food. Because Bullington Gardens believes so passionately in cultivating and nurturing pollinators, we will have Pollinator Packs on sale at our annual Spring Plant Sale. An easy way to cultivate pollination in your garden!
    This month we held our annual Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon. John and Kelsey outdid themselves by cooking up some tasty soups including Vegetarian Chili, Chicken and Rice, Lentil and Ham and Three Bean Soup. They also served salad, garlic bread, corn bread and a whole bunch of tasty desserts. Volunteer Coordinator, Joellen Johnson, thanked all the volunteers for their dedication and hard work. More than fifty volunteers attended. Miniature Rose bushes were given as a token of our appreciation for the volunteers who work so tirelessly for Bullington Gardens. We couldn’t do it without them.
    Spring has come to Bullington Gardens early this year. The Daffodils, Hellebores and Magnolias are all blooming and vying for a spot in the warm sun. It’s the perfect time to visit and watch the landscape transform in front of your eyes. Not to mention enjoying the beautiful spring weather. Bring a picnic!

Location: Bullington Gardens

(828) 698-6104

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Upcoming Events

  • Fairy Days
    06/20/2018 – 06/20/2018
    (9:30 AM – 11:30 AM)
  • Dahlia Daze
    09/18/2018 – 09/20/2018
    (10:00 AM – 11:00 AM)

Our Mission

To connect children and adults with the natural world through science-based horticultural education; to demonstrate the beauty and value of native and ornamental plants through themed public gardens; and to enhance life skills for children and adults with physical or mental challenges through horticultural therapy.

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Bullington Gardens

95 Upper Red Oak Trail
Hendersonville NC 28792
(828) 698-6104

Bullington Gardens is a partner of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension & Henderson County Public Schools and is an equal opportunity provider.