Rock City
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Southern Blooms Festival
This 3 day garden event includes garden tours, workshops, demonstrations, special vendors, book signings, music, and a premiere lecture series honoring Rock City's original gardener, Frieda Utermoehlen Carter.
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Event Hours
Event Activities
Garden Tours
Group Tours of Rock City Gardens led by Rock City's Director of Horticulture George Schimpf and Chattanooga's Master Gardeners.
- Daily, 8am and 9am. Tours begin at the Rock City ticket desk.
- Limited Space Available. First Come, First Serve.
Dr. Allan Armitage will lead a Walk-About after his lecture and book signing on Sunday. Sign up at his 1pm lecture. First come, first serve. 20 participants. Walk-About will leave from the Clifff Terrace Porch at Lovers Leap.
The Frieda Utermoehlen Carter Lecture Series
Join us in on the Cliff Terrace Porch at Lovers Leap as we hear from some of the South's foremost horticultural experts. Schedule below.
Book Signings
Our guest lecturers will have books available and book signings following their lectures.
Workshops
Workshop topics include Rain Gardens, Landscape Design, Make-and-Take Hypertufa Pots, and others. Daily at 10am, 11:30am, and 3pm on Cliff Terrace Porch at Lovers Leap. See Full Schedule Below.
Demonstrations
Watch as artist-in-residence, John McLeod, creates a newly commissioned outdoor sculpture for Rock City Gardens. John uses chain saws, chisels, and other fun tools as he creates a Rock City inspired sculpture in the gardens.
Watch as the sculpture begins to take shape, and check back for updated videos of the progress - or better yet, come visit Rock City Gardens and see the sculpture in person!
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Event Schedule
The Frieda Utermoehlen Carter Lecture Series
Join us on the Cliff Terrace Porch at Lovers Leap as we hear from some of the South's foremost horticultural experts. 1:00 PM
| FRIDAY | Walter Reeves | "Topsy Turvy, GrowBox, Hay Bales and More! Fun, New Ways to Grow Home Vegetables" |
| 1:00PM |
You've heard of the Topsy Turvey upside-down tomato system. But what about the potato-in-a-tub system? Or the lettuce-in-a-wading-pool? And did you know you can grow tasty vegetables in a hay bale? Walter will share details about all of these plus MUCH more! | |
| 4:00PM | Rock City's Director of Horticulture, George Schimpf, will present a very special garden talk on Rock City Gardens. | |
| SATURDAY | Jane Bath | "Your Landscape: Taking a Complex Problem to Simple Solutions" |
| 1:00PM | How does a homeowner approach designing a landscape - a dynamic three dimensional art form of many components that interrelate with endless possibilities? Jane Bath breaks them down into simple, easily understood thoughts - or elements of design. This allows the homeowner use these design elements to change a shapeless ever-changing mass of space into a pleasing and functional living space. | |
| SUNDAY | Dr. Allan Armitage | "Native Plants for Gardeners: Not all Natives are Weeds!" |
| 1:00PM |
Are you a native plant lover? Have you ever wanted to try some native plants but don't know where to start? Whether you are a native plant enthusiast or simply wish to use plants that work in the landscape, Dr. Allan Armitage will entertain and enlighten with this engaging lecture.
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Musical Performances
Enjoy live dulcimer music at Lovers Leap Stage!
| Friday | 10am - 2pm | Stephen Humphries |
| 2pm - 6pm | Rick Davis |
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| Saturday | 10am - 2pm | Lisa Ferguson |
| 2pm - 6pm | Rick Davis | |
| Sunday | 10am - 2pm | Christie Burns |
| 2pm - 6pm | Rick Davis |
Workshop Schedule
Join us on the Cliff Terrace Porch at Lovers Leap for gardening workshops daily.
| Friday | 10:00am | Workshop: "Shiitake Mushrooms --Lunch from a Log" Learn the health benefits of Shiitake mushrooms, and how to inoculate hardwood logs with mushroom spawn to produce nutritious and delicious food for several years to come. Taste fresh mushrooms and discuss strategies for production, preservation, and preparation. Host: Chris Gillian, Sequatchie Valley Institute |
| 11:30am | Workshop: Organic Gardening 101" Learn the basics of organic gardening from starting seeds to soil health and composting to pest control! Host: Padgett Arnold, Sequatchie Cove Farm |
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| 3:00pm | Workshop: "What's all the Hype Hyper-Tufa?!" Learn the basics of making hyper-tufa. These lightweight, weatherproof, & durable garden specimens are easy to make & bring flair to any garden! Workshop attendees will have an opportunity to make & take their own hyper-tufa creation. Host: Jane Mauldin, Chattanooga Area Food Bank |
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| Saturday | 10:00am | Workshop: "Basic Landscape Design" Learn the basics of garden design to make your home a beautiful place. Host: Stephanie Payne, Master Gardener |
| 11:30am | Workshop: "Rain Garden" Making a beautiful garden from an ugly drainage area and helping the environment at the same time. Host: Mike Payne, Master Gardener |
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| 3:00pm |
Workshop: "What's all the Hyper Hyper-Tufa?!" |
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| Sunday | 10:00am | Workshop: "What's in a Name?!" Learn the often comical and interesting stories about how our native plants got their scientific names. Host: R. Michael Green, Reflection Riding Arboretum & Botanical Garden |
| 11:30am | Workshop: "Enjoying our Native Hummingbird" How to attract, feed, and observe ruby-throated hummingbirds. Host: Jim Pftizer, Storyteller and Naturalist |
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| 3:00pm | Workshop: "What's all the Hype Hyper-Tufa?!" Learn the basics of making hyper-tufa. These lightweight, weatherproof, & durable garden specimens are easy to make & bring flair to any garden! Workshop attendees will have an opportunity to make & take their own hyper-tufa creation. Host: Jane Mauldin, Chattanooga Area Food Bank |
Other Activities
- Other activities on-site including the Rock Climbing Wall*, Panning for Gems*, and Fairyland Forest Makeovers*.
- Also, create a Make-and-Take Recycled Newspaper Pot and plant your own flower seeds activity for children
- Take pictures with Rocky & Friends (10am - 3pm)
Ticket Information
Southern Blooms Festival is a 3-day event with lecture series, workshops, and garden tours. Most all event activities are included with regular Rock City Admission.
Make the most of the experience and purchase an annual pass for an opportunity to come visit Rock City during any event throughout the year!
Chattanooga Area Food Bank Garden Party
Thursday, May 6th
7 - 10 pm
Rock City will host the Food Bank Garden Party* in the Pavilion with food by Grandview, music by Chattanooga's Big Band Sweet Georgia Sound, an auction and more! (Tickets available from the Food Bank, call 423-622-1800)
What's Blooming at Rock City?
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In May, look for
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Community Partner and Sponsor
Community Partner
Rock City is proud to support the Chattanooga Area Food Bank as our community partner for the Southern Blooms Festival.
Sponsor
Southern Blooms Festival is Sponsored By Homestead Lawn & Garden.
Annual Pass
Buy an annual pass and come back all year for more Special Events: The Birds of Prey Raptors Show & Summer Music Weekends Memorial Day - Labor Day, Rocktoberfest in October, the Enchanted Garden of Lights in the Winter, Shamrock City in March, and EarthDayz in April.
Rock City Annual Pass
For less than the
cost of 2 one-day tickets to Rock City, you can purchase an Annual Pass
and enjoy Rock City year-round. Each season, there's a new reason to
visit.
Adult: $32.00
Child: $16.00
(child ages 3-15)
Family of 4 Pass: $75.00 (includes 2 adults and
up to 2 children ages 3-15)
Family of 6 Pass: $99.00 (includes 2
adults and up to 4 children ages 3-15)
*Additional charges apply for food, drinks, some activities, & accessories. Rock City Admission is required to enter the park and festival.