MISSOULA — The public is invited to stop by and check out the new Rocky Mountain Gardens at the Missoula County Fairgrounds this weekend.
A grand opening celebration will be held on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.
People will be able to head inside and learn more about each individual garden. Kids will also be able to take part in a garden scavenger. Live music by the Night Blooming Jasmine Trio runs from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
The 2.5-acre gardens feature distinct growing areas including rose, pollinator, herb, native prairie, ornamental, vegetable and waterwise gardens, as well as fruit trees and a berry orchard.
The gardens provide areas for teaching, learning and growing including an an outdoor classroom, flowering pollinator and drought-tolerant lawns.
The gardens will also feature a four-season greenhouse, a hoop house for season extension crops and shaded areas for classes.
Volunteers have spent more than 700 hours over the last year planting and getting the gardens ready for the public.
“It has been an amazing year watching the transformation of this space from what was a gravel parking lot to such a vibrant garden,” said Bryce Christiaens, director of the Department of Ecology and Extension. “We could not have done it without the amazing support of donors and volunteers, and I'm excited to see the public get to enjoy it and watch it grow.”
The opening of the gardens completes the educational spaces at the 29,000-square-foot Gerald W. Marks Exploration Center, which opened in 2023 at the Missoula County Fairgrounds.
The Center is home to the Missoula Conservation District, the Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium, Missoula County 4-H, Ecology and Extension offices and the Healthy Acres, Healthy Communities Foundation.
