Summer Gardening Events
Tucked behind the office of Conserving Carolina in Hendersonville, two acres of native flowers, shrubs, trees, and bog plants hum with life. This is where the Native Plant Gardening Group meets on Thursday mornings, gathering with sunhats, trowels, and a shared mission to nurture biodiversity. Originally planted by Conserving Carolina staff more than 10 years ago, the garden currently serves as a living classroom. However, volunteers are working hard to reimagine the space into a public arboretum. “The idea is to offer an accessible place for everyone to safely enjoy nature without much exertion and to give people the opportunity to experience the solace and serenity that being in nature can provide,” says Mary Miller, the land trust’s community engagement associate. No experience is needed to join the efforts, though volunteers are asked to bring gloves and gardening tools.
The Native Plant Gardening Group meets on Thursdays, 9am-12pm, at Conserving Carolina (847 Case St., Hendersonville). See conservingcarolina.org.
Tomato Day is coming to the Hendersonville Farmers Market on Saturday, July 26, and if you’ve ever bitten into a sun-warmed tomato still dewy from the vine, you know why this day matters. Expect a bounty of peak-season tomatoes, free tomato sandwiches (while they last), live music, a cooking demo, and the ever-whimsical Tomato Beauty Pageant. “For much of the year, tomatoes are grown out-of-season, elsewhere, often from hydroponic greenhouses instead of in soil,” says Ed Graves, who operates Tiny Bridge Farm in Hendersonville with his partner, KP Whaley. “That’s what makes the timeliness of Tomato Day special,” says Graves. “The pursuit of a flavor-packed, just-picked, sun-ripened tomato, grown right here in the soil.”
2025 Tomato Day, Saturday, July 26, 8am-1pm, Hendersonville Farmers Market (650 Maple St., Hendersonville). See hendersonvillenc.gov.
For more than two decades, the Speaking of Gardening Symposium has drawn green thumbs to the Asheville area for two days of top-tier horticultural inspiration. Now in its 26th year, the 2025 event takes root in August at the Hilton Asheville Biltmore Park. This year’s theme, “Travel and Exploration,” celebrates how global journeys spark gardening magic. “Travel experiences expose us to new ideas for our gardens, and plant exploration leads to new plants for us to try,” says event organizer Andra Nus. From the wilds of Ireland to the suburbias of Southern Appalachia, this year’s variety of climes will offer worldly insight for backyard growers and professionals alike.
Speaking of Gardening Symposium, Friday, Aug. 15 and Saturday, Aug. 16, at Hilton Asheville Biltmore Park (43 Town Square Blvd., Asheville). See speakingofgardening.org.
Compost doesn’t just happen. It takes banana peels, coffee grounds, crushed leaves, and a little bit of know-how. This fall, local gardening experts will dig into the secrets of successful composting during two hands-on sessions at The Learning Garden in Asheville. The first program, on Thursday, Sept. 11, covers backyard composting basics, showing guests how to turn everyday kitchen scraps into nutrient-rich soil. The second workshop, happening Thursday, Sept. 25, takes composting to the next level with an introduction to worm composting, spotlighting easy, small-scale systems that rely on red wigglers and basic bucket setups. Both programs are part of the garden’s Thursday learning series, happening from 10-11:30am.
The Learning Garden (49 Mount Carmel Road, Asheville). See buncombemastergardener.org.
Get ready to wander and wonder during the 16th Annual West Asheville Garden Stroll in September. This free, volunteer-led event opens up a new West Asheville neighborhood each year, showcasing funky, fruitful, and flat-out fabulous home gardens. Expect a walkable loop of 12 to 15 stops featuring everything from pollinator havens to permaculture powerhouses. “We look for diverse gardens that will delight, inspire, and educate stroll-goers,” says Sarah Rubin, committee chair of the event. “Everyone — both novices and experienced gardeners — comes away with new ideas. You might fall in love with a new perennial, get a vision for creating a shade garden, or learn a new technique for trellising tomatoes.”
16th Annual West Asheville Garden Stroll, Saturday, Sept. 13, 11am-4pm. See westashevillegardens.com.
Golden hour gets a soundtrack during Arbor Evenings, The North Carolina Arboretum’s warm-weather series. Held Wednesday and Thursday nights through mid September, these laidback gatherings invite guests to sip, stroll, and soak up tunes as the sun dips behind the Blue Ridge range. As spokesperson Brian Postelle notes, “… There is something special about being able to wander through the walking paths or just sit in the lawn while listening to live music.”
Arbor Evenings, Wednesdays and Thursdays through September 18, 5:30-8:30pm, The North Carolina Arboretum (100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, Asheville). See ncarboretum.org.
Ever pet a baby goat, picked your own bouquet, and chatted with a farmer all in the same afternoon? You can during the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project’s 2025 Farm Tour, happening fall-solstice weekend, noon to 5pm. This event invites locavores to explore select farms within an hour of Asheville. “It is so important to meet the farmers growing our food and build deeper connections to them and where our food comes from,” says Oakley Brewer, communications and engagement coordinator at ASAP. “Farmers are an essential part of our community, and with the tour so close to the [Hurricane] Helene anniversary, we hope folks can see how crucial preserving farmland and sourcing locally is.”
ASAP’s 2025 Farm Tour, Saturday, Sept. 20 and Sunday, Sept. 21, 12-5pm. Passes are $35-$45. See asapconnections.org.