Garfield Park Conservatory offers a wide range of engaging and fun programs for all ages. Click on the links above to get specific information on upcoming programs and events. Still have questions?
Call us at 317-327-7183 or Call Customer Service at 317-327-PARK
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Garfield Park Master Gardener - Guided Conservatory Tours
2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month @ 11 AM - Included in that days admissions fee
Date: June 3 & 4
Times: Saturday: 10am-5pm, Sunday: 1-5pm
Fee: $5 per person, $12 per family (2 adults max per family)
Join the Indianapolis Bonsai Club as they showcase their unique bonsai specimens throughout the Conservatory. Club members will be available to answer your questions, and vendors will have items for sale.
Date: Friday, June 9
Time: 10:30 am
Fee: Free - Drop-in Ages: 2-10
Join us in Blake’s Children’s Garden as we learn about nature through a story reading. After the reading children are encouraged to stay and explore the garden. This program is free and open to anyone wishing to attend. The target age range is 2-8 years old. Program may be cancelled due to weather – call or check online for updates.
Date: Saturday, June 10
Time: 8:30-9:00 am
$5 per person – All Ages
Garfield Park, while being an urban park, is also a home to lots of wildlife. Join a park naturalist on a walk through the park in search of birds. Whether you've never been on a bird walk before or consider yourself an expert birder, this is open to all. Registration is required. Please remember to wear your walking shoes and bring binoculars.
Cultivating Minds Garden Series: Herbal Teas
Date: Saturday, June 10
Time: 2 pm
Fee: Free – All ages
Drop-in to the Children’s Garden any time between 2 and 3 pm to learn about the benefits of herbal teas. Our naturalist will lead you through a very brief presentation on herbs to grow or buy for making herbal tea and what health benefits they might provide. Participants will get to make their own herbal tea sample from herbs in the garden. This program is free, but donations (made at the front desk) are always appreciated.
Date: Tuesday, June 13
Time: 10:00-11:00 am
Fee: $5 per child Ages: 2-6
Bring your preschooler to this program with a focus on the natural world. Join us for a different nature-related story, activity and craft each month. Registration required.
Date: Thursday, June 22
Time: 10:00-11:00 am
Fee: $5 per child Ages: 2-5
Join us as we get to gardening in Blake’s Garden! Young ones will learn about gardening and have the chance to help plant, grow and harvest in our vegetable garden. There will also be a story, craft and time to explore. Registration required.
Cultivating Minds Garden Series: Chicken Keeping
Date: Saturday, June 24
Time: 2 pm
Fee: Free All ages
Drop-in to the Children’s Garden any time between 2 and 3 pm to learn about keeping chickens. Our naturalist will lead you through a very brief presentation on chicken keeping in urban Indiana. Participants will get to help feed the chickens and there will be informational handouts to take home. This program is free, but donations (made at the front desk) are always appreciated.
Critter Chat
Date: Wednesday, July 5
Time: 2 pm
Fee: Free All ages
Drop by Blake’s Garden to meet one of our resident critters. No registration needed, however all current Covid protocols will be followed. Program will be held in classroom if weather is inclement.
Date: Thursday, July 20
Time: 10:00-11:00 am
Fee: $5 per child Ages: 2-5
Join us as we get to gardening in Blake’s Garden! Young ones will learn about gardening and have the chance to help plant, grow and harvest in our vegetable garden. There will also be a story, craft and time to explore. Registration required.
Date: Saturday, July 22
Time: 8:30-9:00 am
$5 per person – All Ages
Garfield Park, while being an urban park, is also a home to lots of wildlife. Join a park naturalist on a walk through the park in search of birds. Whether you've never been on a bird walk before or consider yourself an expert birder, this is open to all. Registration is required. Please remember to wear your walking shoes and bring binoculars.
Cultivating Minds Garden Series: Pollinator & Wildlife Gardening
Date: Saturday, July 22
Time: 2 pm
Fee: Free All ages
Drop-in to the Children’s Garden any time between 2 and 3 pm to learn about gardening for pollinators and other wildlife, and the benefits of pollinators. Our naturalist will lead you through a very brief presentation on pollinator host plants and native plants for wildlife. There will be a chance to explore the gardens to look for pollinators and other wildlife. Participants will get native wildlife and pollinator seed packets and informational handouts to take home. This program is free, but donations (made at the front desk) are always appreciated.
Date: Friday, July 28
Time: 10:30 am
Fee: Free - Drop-in Ages: 2-10
Join us in Blake’s Children’s Garden as we learn about nature through a story reading. After the reading children are encouraged to stay and explore the garden. This program is free and open to anyone wishing to attend. The target age range is 2-8 years old. Program may be cancelled due to weather – call or check online for updates.
Cultivating Minds Garden Series: The Art of Pesto
Date: Saturday, July 29
Time: 2 pm
Fee: Free – All ages
Drop-in to the Children’s Garden any time between 2 and 3 pm to learn about growing one of the most popular herbs, basil, and learn how it is made into pesto. Our naturalist will lead you through a very brief presentation on how to make pesto. Participants will get to sample the pesto we make and take a sample home. There will also be pesto recipes and recipe ideas using pesto. This program is free, but donations (made at the front desk) are always appreciated.
Herbal Harvest Workshop
Date: Saturday, August 5
Time: 10-11:30 am
Fee: $5 per person Ages: Adult
Join the Herb Society of Central Indiana for all things herbs! Learn about harvesting, drying, storing, and cooking with your garden harvest. Registration required. A $5 donation to the Herb Society is suggested to help off-set the cost of materials.
Cultivating Minds: Composting – Drop-In
Date: Saturday, August 5
Time: 2-3 PM
Fee: Free Ages: All
Drop-in to the Children’s Garden any time between 2 and 3 pm to learn about how to compost and the benefits of compost for your garden. Our naturalist will lead you through a very brief presentation on composting. Kids can explore our decomposer area in the garden and look for worms and other decomposers. Participants will get to take a sample of our compost home. There will also be handouts on composting and vermicomposting. This program is free, but donations (made at the front desk) are always appreciated.
The Buzz about Bees and Beekeeping
Date: Sunday, August 6
Time: 2-3 PM
Fee: Free Ages: All (but geared towards adults)
Meet our volunteer beekeeper, Fred! Learn about how he keeps bees at the park, how honey is harvested and processed and why bees are an important part of our environment. This program is free, but registration is highly recommended, so we can get an idea of how many people are attending. This program is for families but will be geared more towards adults. If you enjoyed this program, please feel free to make a donation at the front desk afterwards.
Jungle Tales
Date: Tuesday, August 8
Time: 10:00-11:00 am
Fee: $5 per child Ages: 2-5
Bring your preschooler to this program with a focus on the natural world. Join us for a different nature-related story, activity and craft each month. Registration required.
Critter Chat
Date: Wednesday, August 9
Time: 2 pm
Fee: Free Ages: All
Drop by Blake’s Garden to meet one of our resident critters. No registration needed. Program will be held in classroom if weather is inclement.
Garden Storytime
Date: Friday, August 11
Time: 10:30 am
Fee: Free - Drop-in Ages: 2-10
Join us in Blake’s Children’s Garden as we learn about nature through a story reading. After the reading children are encouraged to stay and explore the garden. This program is free and open to anyone wishing to attend. The target age range is 2-8 years old. Program may be cancelled due to weather – call or check online for updates.
Cultivating Minds: Garden Salsa – Drop-In
Date: Saturday, August 12
Time: 2-3 PM
Fee: Free Ages: All
Drop-in to the Children’s Garden any time between 2 and 3 pm to learn about how to make salsa. Our naturalist will lead you through a very brief presentation on salsa making and you can sample the end results. Participants will get to take a sample of our salsa home or a few vegetables from the garden to make their own. There will also be recipes on salsa making. This program is free, but donations (made at the front desk) are always appreciated.
Visitor Appreciation Day
Date: Sunday, August 20
Time: 1-5 pm
Fee: Free Ages: All
In appreciation of all our wonderful visitors and supporters, admission to the Conservatory is FREE on this day. Enjoy our unique tropical experience, including waterfalls, orchids, animals and more.
Little Green Thumbs
Date: Wednesday, August 23
Time: 10:00-11:00 am
Fee: $5 per child Ages: 2-5
Join us as we get to gardening in Blake’s Garden! Young ones will learn about gardening and have the chance to help plant, grow and harvest in our vegetable garden. There will also be a story, craft and time to explore. Registration required.
Cultivating Minds: Drying Herbs – Drop-In
Date: Saturday, August 26
Time: 2-3 PM
Fee: Free Ages: All
Drop-in to the Children’s Garden any time between 2 and 3 pm to learn about how to dry and preserve fresh herbs. Our naturalist will lead you through a very brief presentation on drying herbs and preserving fresh herbs. Participants will get to cut some herbs to dry at home. There will also be herb and spice blend recipe ideas. This program is free, but donations (made at the front desk) are always appreciated.
