On Saturday, September 28th, see trees in their early autumn glory and learn how they add beauty and value to our landscapes. During this special event connect with nature through hayrides, art, demonstrations, and more. A variety of food and beverage selections are available on site. Native plants will be available for purchase, while supplies last. All activities included with general admission. Free for Season Passholders. Memberships to Mt. Cuba Center will be for sale on site.
Scheduled activities are as follows:
Hayrides – 11 AM, 1 PM, 2:30 PM – Celebrate the season with a scenic hayride of our natural areas. Free with admission, reserve your time at the ticketing tent as space is limited.
Garden Highlights Walks – 11 AM, 1 PM, 3 PM – Catch the highlights of Mt. Cuba Center’s gardens and history on this 45 minute walk through the gardens with a knowledgeable docent. Tickets are $2 per person in addition to garden admission.
Story Time Sprouts – 11 AM, 2 PM – Stand up and speak for the trees with Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax. Intended for children ages 5 and under.
If These Trees Could Talk – 12 PM, 2 PM – Our arborists tell the unique stories of Mt. Cuba’s trees – find out which trees arrived by helicopter, have famous ancestors, shut down traffic, and more! Each of these free tours lasts about one hour.
In-Garden Pruning Demonstrations – Time TBD – Stop by to watch one of our horticulturists prune plants in our gardens and discuss tips and techniques. Pruning demonstrations can take just 15 minutes.
All-day activities occur throughout the gardens:
Live music with the Sin City Band – Upper Lawn – Enjoy a mix of Americana, roots, and folk music from these Delaware mainstays. Sets occur throughout the day.
Eco-Gardening Q+A – Upper Lawn – The gardener is IN! Ask a Mt. Cuba professional your most pressing plant and gardening questions.
The Feel of Fall – Upper Lawn – Texture adds another dimension to any garden. Explore an assortment of plants through touch and make a leaf rubbing to take home.
Lawn Games – Upper Lawn – Enjoy lawn games for the whole family. Cornhole, KanJam, croquet, and more.
Plant an Oak Tree – Upper Lawn – “The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson. Plant your very own acorn in a biodegradable pot to take home.
Discovery Grove – Upper Lawn – Venture into the woods and get your hands dirty with nature play activities like hopping across tree stumps, digging in the leaf litter, investigating bugs and more.
Love Letters to Trees – Ponds – Attention, treehuggers! Express your love for trees by typing out a message of love on our typewriter and adding it to our outdoor gallery.
Storybook Stroll – Woods Path – Follow the true story of how one tree-loving woman changed a city forever in The Tree Lady.
Through the Looking Glass – Woods Path – Peer into the past, present and future of this tuliptree canopy that defines our garden.
Plant Sale – Guest Parking Lot – A variety of native plants will be available for purchase while supplies last. All plants are $6 each. Available plants: Summer Sunshine Beadle’s tickseed (Coreopsis palustris‘Summer Sunshine’), Autumn Bride hairy alumroot (Heuchera villosa ‘Autumn Bride’) and Lady in Black calico aster (Symphyotrichum lateriflorum var. lateriflorum ‘Lady in Black’).
Food and Beverage service starts at 11 AM:
Zaikka – 11 AM-3 PM – Contemporary Indian cuisine
The Wandering Chef – 11 AM-3 PM – Dumplings and more
Rain date: Sunday, September 29th