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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
Like us on Facebook or Follow us on Twitter to get more updates on Programs and Events.
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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
Conservatory Tours
Month 1
Gnome Away from Home
Friday, March 21st - Sunday, April 6th, 2025
Tues-Sat: 10 am - 5 pm | Sun: 1-5 pm
Ages: ALL Fee: $6 per person | $14 per family
Family Admission is 2 adults max (18 or older is adult)
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This year's theme is not about WHERE in the world, but WHEN! The Gnomes are hopping on a time machine!
This spring break garden gnomes from far and wide will gather at the Conservatory! See this whimsical display of garden gnomes and try to spot them all! Contact the staff for information about loaning a gnome to be part of the display. We will start taking loaner gnomes after Valentine's Day. Remember the Conservatory is closed on Mondays.
Natural Gnomes
Saturday, March 29th, 2025 | 11 am - 12 pm
Ages: All Ages Fee: $12 per project
(can be done individually or as a group project)
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Join us during our Gnomes on Spring Break Show for some additional magical fun. Bring your creativity and have fun making gnomes out of gourds and other natural materials. Registration required by March 26th.
Hot glue will be used and parents are asked to supervise or assist their children in using it. Tacky glue will also be available for objects that are able to take longer to set and it is advised to use this with kids when possible.
Early Morning Photography
Saturday, March 1st, 2025 | 8-10 am
Ages: 18 and up Fee: $8 per person
Don't miss this opportunity to practice your photography skills in the morning before the Conservatory opens. The Conservatory is full of beautiful spring tulips, daffodils and hyacinths of many colors, plus tropical orchids, palms, ferns and so much more! Each photographer will be allowed a tripod during this event. Make sure to register, as space is limited. Program is for hobby plant photography. No commercial and/or portrait photography permitted.
Spring Bulb Sale
Saturday, March 8th, 2025 | 10 am - 1 pm
Ages: ALL Fee: FREE (admission to sale)
Plants from the Spring Bulb Show will be for sale beginning at 10 a.m., while supplies last. The Conservatory will open at 1 PM for regular visitation. The hours of 10 am - 1 pm are for the SALE ONLY!
Jungle Tales
Tuesday, March 11th, 2025 | 10-11 am
Ages: 2-5 Fee: $6 (includes 1 adult admission)
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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.
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​Herb Society of Central Indiana
Starting Herbs from Seed
Saturday, March 15th, 2025 | 10-11:30 am
Ages: 16 and up Fee: $6 per person
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Join the Central Indiana Herb Society for a fun workshop about starting herbs from seed. Many believe this to be a hard task, but the Herb Society will show you just how easy it is and there will even be a take home craft. Registration required.
Month 2
Gnome Away from Home
Friday, March 21st - Sunday, April 6th, 2025
Tues-Sat: 10 am - 5 pm | Sun: 1-5 pm
Ages: ALL Fee: $6 per person | $14 per family
Family Admission is 2 adults max (18 or older is adult)
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This year's theme is not about WHERE in the world, but WHEN! The Gnomes are hopping on a time machine!
This spring break garden gnomes from far and wide will gather at the Conservatory! See this whimsical display of garden gnomes and try to spot them all! Contact the staff for information about loaning a gnome to be part of the display. We will start taking loaner gnomes after Valentine's Day. Remember the Conservatory is closed on Mondays.
Jungle Tales
Tuesday, April 9th, 2025 | 10-11 am
Ages: 2-5 Fee: $6 (includes 1 adult admission)
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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.
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Cacao, the Magical Bean
Saturday, April 12th, 2025 | 11 am - 12 pm
Ages: 16 and up Fee: $10 per person
​Join as we discover the history of chocolate, just as we approach one of the biggest holidays for chocolate sales, Easter! Learn more about how chocolate can be grown to scale in harmony with it’s rainforest home and help the peoples’ that grow it. We will sample different grades of chocolate and learn about fair trade chocolate products.​
Visitor Appreciation Day
Sunday, April 13th, 2025 | 1-5 pm
Ages: All Fee: FREE
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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 - all for free!
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Central Indiana Orchid Society
Annual Orchid Show
Saturday, April 26th - Sunday, April 27th, 2025
Sat & Sun: 10 am - 5 pm
Ages: ALL Fee: $6 per person | $14 per family
Family Admission is 2 adults max (18 or older is adult)
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This weekend, the Garfield Conservatory will be filled with displays of blooming orchids from across the Midwest. Come check out this annual event presented by the Central Indiana Orchid Society. Orchids will also be available for sale.
Month 3
Herb Society of Central Indiana
Spring Herbal Gifts
Saturday, May 3rd, 2025 | 10-11:30 am
Ages: 16 and up Fee: $6 per person
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Join the Herb Society of Central Indiana for a fun class on making gifts with herbs, perfect for Mother's Day or anyone else that needs a spring pick-me-up. You will also have the opportunity to learn about herbs you can grow yourself throughout the season. There will be recipes, handouts and herbal snacks. Pre-registration required.
Critter Chat
Saturday, May 3rd, 2025 | 11 am
Ages: All Fee: FREE | Drop-in
​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.
Mother's Day Herbal Tea
Saturday, May 10th, 2025 | 11 am - 12:30 pm
Ages: 10 and up Fee: $15 per person
​What could be more perfect for Mother's Day than having a warm, flavorful cup of tea or herbal tea with someone you love the most. And not all of us have mothers, so bring anyone closest to you honestly, or come by yourself!
Join us as we learn about the benefits of herbal teas. We will have a presentation on the history of tea, more specifically herbal tea, or tisanes, as they are properly referred to; on herbs to grow to make your own herbal teas and what health benefits they might provide, as well as how to pick out the highest quality boxed herbal teas at the store. Participants will get to make their own herbal tea sample from herbs in the garden or sample different store bought herbals teas, whichever they choose.
Our classroom will also be decorated in the traditional style of an English High Tea, just a little earlier in the day than traditional time and with a focus on herbal teas instead. There will be light snacks with the tea. A tea selection will be provided at the beginning, but at the end of the program, you will have an opportunity to make your own to take with you.​
Jungle Tales
Tuesday, May 13th, 2025 | 10-11 am
Ages: 2-5 Fee: $6 (includes 1 adult admission)
​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.
Master Gardener Plant Sale
Saturday, May 17th, 2025 | 9 am - 12 pm
Ages: ALL Fee: No entry fee for sale
This is not just a sale! In addition to annual and perennial plants for sale, the Master Gardeners will also be on hand to give advice and answer all of your gardening questions. Admission to sale is free, plant prices vary.
Garden Storytime
Friday, May 23rd, 2025 | 10 am
Ages: ALL (2-8 targeted) Fee: FREE | Drop-in
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 will be moved into the classroom in case of inclement weather.
Little Green Thumbs
Wednesday, May 28th, 2025 | 10-11 am
Ages: 2-5 Fee: $6​
Bring your little gardener to get their hands dirty in the Children's Garden. Participants will have the opportunity to plant, care for, and harvest crops in the Garden. Come to one, or come to all. Registration required.
Budding Gardeners
Thursday, May 29th, 2025 | 10-11 am
Ages: 6-9 Fee: $10
Are you interested in exposing your child to the wonders of gardening at an early age, but don’t necessarily have the space or time to do it yourself? This is the perfect program for you. Bring your child ages 6-9 years old to a one-hour class, once a month, where they can get their hands dirty and feel accomplished growing and harvesting their own food. Join staff naturalists as they share their love of gardening, from a young age, with your children!
Butterfly Planters
Saturday, May 31st, 2025 | 2-3 pm
Ages: 4 and up Fee: $25 per planter
Butterflies are an important part of our local ecosystem. They pollinate many of the plants other wildlife depend on for food and they pollinate a lot of what is in our vegetable gardens. Help support your local butterflies, by making a small rectangular planter box full of butterflies' favorite plants. We will plant flowers for pollination and host plants for caterpillars. Something for every part of the butterfly life cycle.
Everyone is welcome to join in on this program. Program fee is per planter. You can make one planter for your family or make individual planters. These are decent sized planters, so you may only want one. Program fee includes: planter, soil, plugs (plants) and labels. Conservatory admission for one person also included in program fee.
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