LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, GA – Rock City Gardens opens its first Southern Blooms Festival, May 16-24, from 8:30 am to 3 pm. This nine-day garden event includes garden tours, workshops, demonstrations, special vendors, book signings and a lecture series honoring Rock City’s original gardener, Frieda Utermoehlen Carter.

“We have invited some world renowned horticultural experts,” said Kim Jackson, special events director for Rock City Gardens. The list includes Dr. Allan Armitage, Walter Reeves, Sue Hamilton and Ruth Baumgardner. "In planning the lecture and workshop series, it has been great to share the lineup of guest lecturers and speakers and hear people say, "Wow! THEY are coming?"

Rock City President Andrew Kean said, "The Southern Blooms Festival represents Rock City’s commitment to the cultivation of this area's natural beauty and creative talent - there will be something for everyone.”

Rock City Gardens has partnered with the Chattanooga Area Food Bank for this exciting new event. "We are pleased that Rock City Gardens is partnering with our community garden program," said Clare Sawyer, president of the Chattanooga Area Food Bank. "We are building a new greenhouse and garden to help us promote the economic and health benefits of gardening. The Southern Blooms Festival will provide an excellent venue to kickoff this movement in our community."

Bring a canned food item to donate to the Food Bank and receive a coupon for a free side item with the purchase of a barbeque sandwich at the 7 States Bar-B-Que Tent at Lover’s Leap. Also, on Thursday, May 21st, the Food Bank's Garden Party is being held at Rock City’s pavilion. Tickets to the event are available from the Food Bank by calling 423-622-1800.

Also, group garden tours of Rock City are available each morning at 8 am and 8:30 am (reservations required, call 706-419-4000) led by Rock City’s Director of Horticulture George Schimpf and Chattanooga’s Master Gardeners. Daily workshops are available ranging from Attracting Butterflies and CSI in the Garden to Arboriculture Introduction: Planting and maintaining healthy trees.

Summer Music Weekends also kicks off on Saturday, May 16, 12-4 pm near Lover’s Leap with Old Time Music from the New Binkley Brothers. Summer Music Weekends runs every Saturday, Sunday and holiday, May 16th - Labor Day.

Rhododendrons, Native Azaleas, Southern Magnolia and Summer Annuals are all in bloom during the festival.

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