BY KAREN BOSSICK

The Sawtooth Botanical Garden is launching its 30th summer with a pre-Mother’s Day Daffodil Brunch.

That will be followed by a variety of events, including the unveiling of a new Fairy Trail, a 30th anniversary Gala Gimlets in the Garden and the 30th annual Garden tour.

The garden five miles south of Ketchum was the site of a horse pasture before 1995 when a handful of gardeners saw the opportunity to transform it into a place for people to grow vegetables with the support of the Global Environmental Project Institute.

Today it is a space for education with public and private gatherings taking place inside a solar greenhouse and among five gardens showcasing the different growing ecosystems of South Central Idaho.

It offers more than a dozen original art installations and the Garden of Infinite Compassion created in September 2005 to honor the visit of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama to the Wood River Valley.

It attracts visitors from around the world.

“The existence of a public botanical garden in an area with a population of fewer than 200,000 is indeed very special,” said Panayoti Kelaidis of the Denver botanical Gardens.

THE LINEUP:

May 10, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. A PRE-MOTHER’S DAY DAFFODIL BRUNCH featuring mimosas, mocktails, music and noshes will feature acoustic music by Hart Gibson amidst 30,000 daffodils planted by the community about five years ago. The garden’s newest sculpture—Fibonacci’s Gate by local rock artist Gabriel Embler—will be unveiled on that day. Tickets are $40.

May 17, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.—The BUG ZOO FESTIVAL will focus on the role of pollinators this year. There’ll be food trucks and nonprofit booths. The festival will be preceded by four days of visits from preschool and elementary school classrooms.

Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for youth ages 3 to 18. Younger kids will be admitted free.

May 22, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.—A free WILDFLOWER WALK will be held at the Camas Prairie. Nolan Brown and Bailey Dann, members of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes will be in attendance to discuss their relationship with the camas that grow on that land.

May 29, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.—A free WILDFLOWER WALK will be held in Democrat Gulch, the site of the Hailey Hot Springs property the Wood River Land Trust is trying to purchase and preserve for the community.

May 31, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.—The new FAIRY TRAIL featuring fairy houses made by community members and fairy dust sprinkled throughout the garden will be unveiled. It is spearheaded by Winslow Vail—those who would like to contribute their nature-made fairy homes can bring them to the garden between May 21 and 23. Contact winslow@winslowvail.com for more magical information.

June 10-14--The SUN VALLEY PRIDE FESTIVAL

June 18-Aug. 13, 10-11 a.m.—DISCOVERY CLUB, an hour of storytelling, garden exploration and fun activities for children ages 2-5 will be held on Wednesdays.

June 19-July 17, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Free WILDFLOWER WALKS will be held at various locations on Thursdays through July 17, except for July 3.

July 12-Aug. 30, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free tours of the GARDEN OF INFINITE COMPASSION featuring a Tibetan prayer wheel blessed by the Dalai Lama will be held on Saturdays through Aug. 30.

July 26, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.—The Sawtooth Botanical Garden’s 30th annual GARDEN TOUR will showcase outstanding private landscapes in the North Valley. It will include a 30th annual celebration featuring food trucks and music running from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Sawtooth Botanical Garden. Tickets purchased before July 24 are $35 and $40.

Aug. 27—WINE WALK & ART offers attendees a chance to enjoy wine pairings and small bites while strolling through the garden and enjoying live music.

Sept. 11 and 14—20th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF THE GARDEN OF INFINITE COMPASSION

Sept. 25—30th anniversary gala GIMLETS IN THE GARDEN

Tickets to any event can be purchased at https://www.sbgarden.org/. Questions? Call 208-726-9358.