This Weekend: Kiku’s Last Weekend & Giant Pumpkins Galore

Posted in Programs and Events on October 24 2014, by Lansing Moore

This Sunday is the last day of Kiku: The Art of the Japanese Garden, so don’t miss your chance to see hundreds of chrysanthemum blossoms take over the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory in a variety of contemporary and traditional Japanese designs. While you’re here, enjoy our Japanese Pop-Up Restaurant in its final days of serving up delicious Japanese cuisine.

October 25 and 26 is also our Award-Winning Giant Pumpkin Display. We have the largest pumpkins in North America, plus Ray Villafane’s  massive zombie carving, all here for family photo ops. This weekend is also the The Haunted Pumpkin Garden‘s last before it departs for another year on October 31. Now is the time to bring the family to check out Creepy Creatures of Halloween, Spooky Nighttime Adventures, Budding Masters Creepy Pumpkin Carving Adventures (exclusively for MasterCard cardholders), and other weekend activities that will say goodbye this weekend.

In case you’re still on the fence about this weekend’s Spooky Nighttime Adventure, last week’s completely sold out, so don’t wait too long to grab your tickets!

Read on for the full schedule of special programs, and plan your visit to admire some of the largest plant displays you’ll ever see!

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Saturday, October 25

Roaming Guides – 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
In the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory
Get an in-depth look into the world of Kiku with guides stationed throughout the exhibition.

Bonsai Weekend- 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. (Demonstrations at 12 & 2 p.m.)
Part of Kiku: The Art of the Japanese Garden
In the Conservatory Courtyard
Beautifully crafted bonsai will be on display for one weekend only! Listen to Michael Pollock and other experts from the Yama Ki Bonsai Society as they share tips and tricks about miniaturizing mature shrubs and trees to create living sculptures

Bird Walk – 11 a.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center
The diverse habitats of the Botanical Garden offer visitors a chance to see dozens of species of birds throughout the year. Bring your binoculars and walk the Garden grounds with an expert to learn about bird-friendly habitats, migrating species, and birds that make a permanent home at the Garden.

Creepy Creatures of Halloween–12 & 2 p.m.
Part of The Haunted Pumpkin Garden
At the Clay Family Picnic Pavilions
Some of the animals that make us scream are actually the coolest animals around. Meet some new critters from our big backyard and beyond during this live presentation and discover the unique adaptations that help them survive in their habitats.

Forest Tour – 12:30 p.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool in the Leon Levy Visitor Center
Experience the beauty of the Garden’s 50-acre Thain Family Forest on this one-hour walking tour with an expertly trained Guide. You’ll learn facts about the trees, history, geology, and ecology of this original, uncut woodland.

Taiko Drumming — 1 & 3 p.m.
Thunderous and thrilling, the taiko (Japanese drum) has been called “the voice and spirit of the Japanese people.” From its roots in agriculture and use in the ancient music in shrines and temples, traditional taiko folk music is believed to have entertained the gods, attracted good fortune, driven away evil forces and insects, lent strength and courage to warriors, and celebrated life. Join in the celebration with the skilled drummers from Taiko Masala.

Perennial Garden Tour – 2:30p.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center
Join a Garden Guide for a tour of the Jane Watson Irwin Perennial Garden, which combines a vast palette of colors, textures, flowers, and foliage to create interest in every season.

Spooky Nighttime Adventures – 6:30–8:30 p.m. (entry times at 6:30 & 7 p.m.)
Part of The Haunted Pumpkin Garden
Everett Children’s Adventure Garden
Now with more spooky fun! Grab a Con Edison flashlight and explore the exhibit as you travel along the Whole Foods Market® Trick-or-Treat Trail after dark. Listen for critters of the night or sit in on a spooky ghost story. Capture a family photo with larger-than-life skeletons and costumed characters. For those who dare, see the giant pumpkin displays illuminated in the darkness and journey along the meandering Mitsubishi Wild Wetland Trail.

Sunday, October 26

Roaming Guides – 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
In the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory
Get an in-depth look into the world of Kiku with guides stationed throughout the exhibition.

Bonsai Weekend- 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. (Demonstrations at 12 & 2 p.m.)
Part of Kiku: The Art of the Japanese Garden
In the Conservatory Courtyard
Beautifully crafted bonsai will be on display for one weekend only! Listen to Michael Pollock and other experts from the Yama Ki Bonsai Society as they share tips and tricks about miniaturizing mature shrubs and trees to create living sculptures

Creepy Creatures of Halloween–12 & 2 p.m.
Part of The Haunted Pumpkin Garden
At the Clay Family Picnic Pavilions
Some of the animals that make us scream are actually the coolest animals around. Meet some new critters from our big backyard and beyond during this live presentation and discover the unique adaptations that help them survive in their habitats.

Native Plant Garden Tour – 12:30 & 2:30 p.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center
Join a tour guide for an insider’s view of the newly designed Native Plant Garden. Enjoy a mosaic of nearly 100,000 native trees, wildflowers, ferns and grasses designed to flourish in every season.

Taiko Drumming — 1 & 3 p.m.
Thunderous and thrilling, the taiko (Japanese drum) has been called “the voice and spirit of the Japanese people.” From its roots in agriculture and use in the ancient music in shrines and temples, traditional taiko folk music is believed to have entertained the gods, attracted good fortune, driven away evil forces and insects, lent strength and courage to warriors, and celebrated life. Join in the celebration with the skilled drummers from Taiko Masala.

Ongoing Children’s Programs

Family Adventures: The Haunted Pumpkin Garden – 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
In the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden
The Haunted Pumpkin Garden returns to its roots with a massive display of pumpkins and gourds from North America, ranging from the unusual to the gargantuan. Thousands of specimens will create a unique and fascinating backdrop to the slate of Halloween activities in the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden. Every day kids can play inside the Pumpkin House, put on a scary show at the Pumpkin Puppet Theater, look for wiggly worms under a rotting log, and plant a pumpkin seed to take home, while each weekend offers parades and even more treats. Bring your whole family to enjoy this exciting annual tradition at the Garden. This year, The Haunted Pumpkin Garden combines the spooky fun of Halloween festivities with an astonishing display of the most eye-catching and intriguing pumpkins and gourds. The largest pumpkins from North America will once again call the Garden home on October 25 & 26.

Dig, Plant, Grow: Goodnight, Garden – 1:30 – 6 p.m.
Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden
Join us as we prepare the garden for the change in seasons. Plant a cover crop, bury bulbs before the frost, and grab a rake to gather all of the fallen leaves.

Mario Batali’s Kitchen Gardens – 1:30 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden
Kids can explore with Mario’s Menu Mystery game, featuring favorite vegetables and herbs from nine of his restaurants’ kitchens, including Otto and Del Posto.

Cooking Demonstrations – 2 & 4 p.m.
At the Whole Foods Market® Family Garden Kitchen
From late spring into early fall, learn to cook up flavorful new recipes using garden-fresh ingredients, twice a day on Wednesdays and weekends in the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden.
Sponsored by Whole Foods Market and Viking