Descanso Gardens to Reveal Its “Secret Garden” in Celebration of National Public Gardens Day, May 6, 2011

The Harvest Garden, An Enrichment Tool For Students With Developmental Needs, Will Open to the General Public For The First Time in Five Decades

LA CAÑADA FLINTRIDGE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Descanso Gardens, Southern California’s admired 160-acre botanic garden just north of Los Angeles, will celebrate the 3^rd annual National Public Gardens Day on May 6, 2011, by offering visitors a never-before-seen glimpse into their unique Harvest Garden, a “secret garden” usually reserved for use by students with special developmental needs.

“Descanso is not only a beautiful place to visit, but it is also a tremendous educational resource to our community in horticulture, conservation and environmental stewardship”

Established in 1962, the Harvest Garden was designed to provide students with special needs the educational enrichment and therapeutic benefits of hands-on gardening and outdoor exploration, cooking and making crafts. For one day only, this garden will be open to the public through guided tours showcasing student-maintained school gardening plots, grapevines, an orchard, a pavilion, greenhouse, pond and an outdoor kitchen.

“Descanso is not only a beautiful place to visit, but it is also a tremendous educational resource to our community in horticulture, conservation and environmental stewardship,” said David Brown, executive director of Descanso Gardens. “Sharing the achievements of the Harvest Garden on National Public Gardens Day is a perfect opportunity to demonstrate how gardens are a great resource for teaching communities how to take better care of themselves and their environment.”

Descanso Gardens will hold an open house where they will host tours of the private Harvest Garden on National Public Gardens Day, May 6, 2011 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information on this and other upcoming events, please visit http://www.descansogardens.org.

ABOUT NATIONAL PUBLIC GARDENS DAY

Scheduled for May 6th, 2011, National Public Gardens Day is a national day of awareness in which communities nationwide are invited to visit and learn about the important role their public gardens play in promoting environmental stewardship and awareness, plant and water conservation, and more. Now in its third year, National Public Gardens Day was created in partnership between the American Public Gardens Association (APGA) and irrigation product and service provider, Rain Bird. www.NationalPublicGardensDay.org.