SANDWICH- Heritage Museums and Gardens will be hosting their annual ‘Rhododendron Festival’ featuring thousands of world-famous plants in over 100 varieties beginning this week.
During the celebration, Heritage guests can enjoy a peaceful walk surrounded by walls of flowers, learn more about Heritage’s storied rhododendron legacy, and participate in activities with horticulture experts, and take home one of these signature plants from the special plant sale.
“What we do that week is try to showcase that collection. [We try to] show people the spectacular plants that we have and tell [spectators] a little bit about them, and also try to give people some tips to take home on how to prune these plans, [and] how to care for Rhododendrons in their own yard,” says Les Lutz, Director of the Heritage Horticultural Unit.
Festivities will run from Saturday, May 26th @ 10:00 am – Sunday, June 3rd @ 5:00 pm.
Lutz says that the idea for the festival sprang from Heritage’s original owner; “In 1921, a gentlemen, Charles Dexter, bought Heritage and developed it as his private estate. As he was getting into the development of the property, he became interested in Rhododendrons, he started talking to people at places like the Arnold Arboretum, other public gardens on the East Coast, and started collecting plants from all of these people. [He started] breeding them and he was one of the first people to do that.”
All programs are free with museum admission. No advance registration required.
Heritage is located on 100 acres in Sandwich at 67 Grove Street. For more information, and specific event times, you can visit heritagemuseumsandgardens.org/event/rhododendron-festival-2/.
BY: JOHN BONDAREK- Cape Cod.Com News Center
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