Renovations Coming to Brookside Gardens in Wheaton

Renovations are expected to last through January and will include stabilization of banks, dredging the ponds, and repairing dams to improve water quality.

Wings of Fancy at Brookside Gardens Opens Saturday

This live butterfly and caterpillar exhibit is a major Wheaton attraction each spring.

Celebrate Earth Day at Brookside Gardens

The festival will feature family-friendly activities, a "green" vendor and craft fair, a tree scavenger hunt and more.

What’s Going on for Earth Day 2013 in the DC Area?

An Earth Day festival at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, a large-scale celebration on the National Mall, and more.

    April 22, 1970, marked the first-ever Earth Day. More than 20 million Americans participated in rallies, demonstrations and a variety of activities across the country in the name of raising awareness for a healthier, more sustainable environment. After witnessing an enormous oil spill in Santa Barbara, CA, Sen. Gaylord Nelson (D-WI) planned a national teach-in on the environment to educate the media about air and water pollution. Nelson partnered with Rep. Pete McCloskey (R-CA) and activist Denis Hayes to coordinate the event, which grew into Earth Day. Four decades later, Earth Day is ingrained in the national consciousness, with many groups, from schoolchildren to businesses, participating in events ranging from clean-up efforts, …

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Celebrate Earth Day and Green Week in Montgomery County

Learn more about Wheaton's Earth Day Festival and Gaithersburg's Green Week this April.

How are you celebrating Earth Day this year? Gaithersburg is getting an early start with Green Week, April 2-12. Events include an environmental awards ceremony, an environmental film night, an Arbor Day celebration and more. Learn more on Gaithersburg Patch. Brookside Gardens in Wheaton is having a free Earth Day Festival on Sunday, April 21, 12-4 p.m. The festival will feature family-friendly activities, a "green" vendor and craft fair, a tree scavenger hunt and more. Are you in the middle of spring cleaning? Those old pieces of fabric and other natural, biodegradable cast-offs that you're trying to get rid are needed for a community art project at the festival. What the finished art project will look like: Different materials woven …

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When to See the Cherry Blossoms at Brookside Gardens

Why go to Washington, DC, when you can enjoy the 30 cherry trees right here in Wheaton?

Brookside Gardens in Wheaton may not be the Tidal Basin, but if you want to avoid the crowds downtown, consider taking advantage of the cherry blossoms closer to home. The big news broke earlier this week: The National Park Service announced that the cherry blossoms in Washington, DC, will hit their peak bloom between March 26-30. Typical blooming time at Brookside Gardens is around the end of March to the first week in April, and peak blooming time is anticipated to be April 1 this year, according to spokesperson Leslie McDermott. The gardens are home to approximately 30 cherry trees, with most located in the Gude Garden near the Japanese pagoda. The first to bloom will be the the Okame and First Lady varieties, McDermott said. Other …

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Brookside Gardens Conservatory Spring Display Opens Saturday

Admission is free to the spring display of flowers and greenery in Wheaton.

Last Chance: Garden of Lights at Brookside Gardens

The lights display ends Sunday.

You can still enjoy the lights at Brookside Gardens, even though the holidays are behind us. But not for much longer! The Garden of Lights display is open Thursday, Jan. 3, from 5:30-9 p.m., Friday, Jan. 4, and Saturday, Jan. 5, from 5:30-10 p.m., and Sunday, Jan. 6, from 5:30-9 p.m. See the event posting on Patch for more information about tickets.

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Where to Celebrate New Year’s Eve in DC Metro Area

Welcome in 2013 at one of these events.

  From large-scale, themed, multi-room extravaganzas to more subdued music and art events, the Washington, DC, area has something for just about everyone on New Year’s Eve. If you like the more traditional big crowd, big event type celebration, “Big Night DC” at the Gaylord National Resort at the National Harbor may be the destination for you. With 15 themed party areas, five dance floors, more than a dozen bands and DJs, VIP rooms and a number of full and open bars, this six-hour party could see more than 7,000 attendees! Cost:  Tickets are currently $149.99 per person for the main event, $199.99 for the VIP area and include drinks, food, a fun casino lounge—meaning no gambling—and music. Another event that is sure to be on the raucous …

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Photo of the Day: Train Display at Brookside Gardens

Find out more about the hours when admission to the train exhibit is free.

Brookside Gardens is hosting the Washington, Virginia, Maryland Garden Railway Society's model train exhibit for the eighth year in the South Conservatory. The train exhibit runs through Jan. 6, 2013, and is open for free from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Paid admission to the Garden of Lights display in the evenings also includes admission to the train exhibit. See photos of the model train exhibit last year at Brookside Gardens. For more photos of the display and how it was constructed, see the Washington, Virginia, Maryland Garden Railway Society website.

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