SPRINGFIELD — Picture this: 11 acres of botanical gardens, greenhouses, a student and adult interpretive center, research and land labs and a visitors' center, all within walking distance of downtown Springfield.

Hollandia Botanical Gardens officials want you to see what they see when they look at the scenic area along Buck Creek they envision as Springfield's botanical gardens and education center.

Saturday and Sunday, April 19 and 20, Hollandia will display conceptual drawings of the proposed $7.1 million botanical gardens during the second annual Spring Bulb Festival.

In addition to the master plan presentation, visitors to the free event held along the Buck Creek Recreation Trail, between Water Street and Sherman Avenue, can receive gardening tips from the experts, purchase Leo Berbee Bulb Company flowering bulbs, and enjoy musical entertainment. Participants also can snack on foods from local eateries and visit craft booths set up along the site.

Saturday's entertainment will begin with The Springfield Youth Symphony Orchestra and will end with the WittFree Rock Band. Wittenberg University's Dragon Dance Team will open Sunday's festivities and Springfield's Banjo and Brass band will wrap up the event with a 2 p.m. performance.

The event is free and open to the public. Festival entrance is at Warder and Water streets. Parking is available at the Kissell Center, near Warder and Limestone streets. Hollandia will provide passenger trailer shuttle service to and from the Garden site at Warder and Water streets.

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Hollandia Botanical Gardens Spring Bulb Festival

Schedule of Events

Saturday, April 19

10 a.m. Speaker: Linda Sever, Weaving with Natural Plant Materials from the Landscape

11 a.m. Performance: Springfield Youth Symphony Ensembles

12 p.m.: Performance: Julie Garrigan, Harpist

1 p.m. Speaker: Gerald S. Wegner, Ph.D., BCE, Insect Pests of Dried Plant Material and Wood

2 p.m. Performance: Stuffed Possum and Corn-bread — Ol' Time Fiddle Band

3 p.m. Speaker: Amber Haynes, Using Native Bulbs and Spring Bloomers in the Landscape

4 p.m. Performance: WittFree Rock Band

Sunday, April 20

11 a.m. Performance: Chinese Dragon Dancers

11:30 a.m. Performance: Just Eve, Wittenberg Women Students Vocal Group

1 p.m. Speaker: Wes Duren from Marvin's Organic Gardens, Rain Gardens

2 p.m. Performance: Springfield Banjo and Brass

3 p.m. Speaker: Brian Kampman from Robert Rothschild Farm, Seasonal Chores

Between scheduled events, executive director Paul Parlato will present a 15-minute slide show highlighting the plan for construction of the Gardens.

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0347 or kmori@coxohio.com.

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