Honoring Mother Earth & More

On Mother’s Day, May 11, Boxerwood will be reviving a beloved tradition at its nature center and woodland garden: a celebration of nature’s bounty and mothers of all kinds. The afternoon event is without charge, and one of a series of special happenings at the 15-acre garden this year as Boxerwood Education Association (BEA) celebrates its 25th anniversary as a community-supported non-profit.

For this low-key upcoming event, Boxerwood educators will be on hand on Sunday, May 11, from 2 – 4 pm to welcome guests to the woodland garden and offer some family-friendly activities. “By early May the garden will be in its spring loveliest,” said Elise Sheffield, Program Director at Boxerwood, “and we invite folks to come out for a stroll in celebration of Mother Nature and the life-sustaining gifts of all who mother.”  

In addition to ever-popular garden meandering, Boxerwood will celebrate the day with themed DIY scavenger hunts and a creation station with loaner watercolor kits & paper. Visitors also have the option to take home a young native seedling for their yard. “Many Rockbridge families might remember a Mother’s Day tradition years ago when mothers visiting Boxerwood got to take home a baby Japanese maple,” said Elise. “While we don’t have Japanese maples to distribute this year, we do have a tree-planting opportunity. Those who attend can plant up one of the native seedlings we’ll have on hand, either taking the new tree home or donating it to our Boxerwood nursery for future community projects.” Various species will be available for potting including buttonbush, red osier dogwood, crabapple, maples, and sweetbay magnolias.

This is a fair weather event with no rain date. Parking is at 963 Ross Road, with overflow parking, if needed, in the field off Munger Lane. There is no program fee, but donations are welcome. “Our local community has sustained us for 25 years as an environmental education organization,” said Elise, “and this is one of the ways we want to say thank you. Come stroll and enjoy the day with us!”

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