The Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens (JAG) and First Coast Plein Air Painters will host the 2019 A Brush with Nature plein air painting event.

All works of art created at the event are available for sale – with proceeds benefiting the participating artists and the Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens.

Admission is free, with donations to the arboretum encouraged.

Visitors can stroll along the trails to watch and interact with participating artists as they work.

Activities in the planning stage include artists’ demonstrations each day, art activities for children, entertainment and food truck participation.

The event is sponsored by “Cypress” sponsor bestbet, “Hickory” sponsors Office Environments & Services (OE&S) and the “Press On” Foundation, along with “Azalea” sponsor JM Family Enterprises.

For sponsorship information, contact JAG Executive Director Diane Machaby at [email protected].

Members $10, Non-Members $15 per pair | Registration required

Ages 2 & 3 with an adult

In this class children will visit the Lane Gallery to view a bronze sculpture depicting three young girls dancing. In the gallery they will explore movement inspired by different music genres, and in the studio they will create art that continues to move with them. Entry is through Art Connections. Class size is limited. For further information, please email [email protected] or call 904.355.0630.

Duval County Extension Master Gardeners are holding plant clinics on three upcoming Saturdays in March and one in April at various locations throughout Duval County. They will be available to answer your gardening questions, provide informative publications on gardening subjects and collect soil samples for pH! Click here for directions on how to take a soil sample.

March 16: Proctor Ace Hardware, 5723 University Blvd W. and Lowe’s (Baymeadows), 8054 Philips Hwy

March 23: Trad’s, 8178 San Jose Blvd and Lowe’s (Arlington), 12945 Atlantic Blvd

March 30: Philips Garden Store, 4234 Herschel St.; Hagan Ace Hardware, 12501 San Jose Blvd., and Turner Ace Hardware, 13164 Atlantic Blvd

April 6: Lowe’s (Mandarin); 4040 Oldfield Crossing

Many more locations available; contact Terry DelValle at (904) 255-7450 for complete list.

About Riverside Arts Market

A Program of Riverside Avondale Preservation (RAP) the Riverside Arts Market celebrates the arts and our Northeast Florida community. The weekly market features live music, food, art, fresh produce under the canopy of the Fuller Warren Bridge. For more information, including directions and a calendar of events, visit riversideartsmarket.com.

Explore five gardens in Jacksonville, open for self-guided tours to benefit the Garden Conservancy and The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens. Highlights include a columned portico, riverfront terraces, formal boxwood enclosed gardens, a classic parterre, and multiple water features. No reservations required; rain or shine.

Four private homes in San Marco will open their gardens to benefit The Cummer.

• The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, 829 Riverside Avenue: Begin the day here to purchase day passes, admission to the Cummer is included. The Museum’s two-and-one-half acres of historic gardens are unique examples of early twentieth-century garden design, featuring reflecting pools, fountains, arbors, antique ornaments, and sculptures. The majestic Cummer Oak has a canopy of more than 150 feet and is one of the oldest trees in Jacksonville. After the tours, plan to have lunch in the Cummer Café. Reservations at the café are suggested; please call 904-899-6022.
• The McCalla Garden: The gardens here emulate the casual elegance of a French country estate, with rock walls and stone baths adding dimension and leading you from the gate house along paths to the guest cottage and koi pond. Walk through columned portico to the river front terraces and gardens, then along garden paths continuing from the river to the fountain and spa gardens. The holly trees and magnolias were planted in 2003 as construction started. Other plantings include azaleas, bougainvillea, roses and hydrangea.
• The Hardington Garden: There are a total of six connecting spaces within the grounds: front facing gardens with a “natural” double hedge green barrier in lieu of wall and gates, a south facing music terrace and reflective shade garden, a north facing guest patio and shade area, a rear facing English butterfly garden terrace, patio pool and entertaining terrace, and a Zoysia grass soccer field. The gardens are inspired by the owners heritage and years living in London, and reflect their love of trees and shrubs, in particular American maples, Japanese maples, Drakes Chinese elms, multi-stem loquat (Japanese “plum”) trees, magnolias, holly trees, Camellia sasanqua, ferns, azaleas, and agapanthus.
• The Slay Garden: Begin at a charming arrival court with plantings designed to complement the style of the house and focus guests’ view toward the beautiful front door of the house. Down the stairs, the entry garden is a more formal boxwood period garden with plants blooming through the year: azaleas, camellias and sasanquas, agapanthus, plumbago and thryallis. This garden flanks the canal and shows off the wonderful live oak trees with their canopies hanging over the water. Follow the brick walk to the back yard, where there is a wonderful surprise. There is no garden here, but instead a wealth of activity of areas for the homeowners’ enjoyment.
• The Thomas Garden: A classic fountain anchors the plantings in the front yard, where visitors can follow the path through the small rose garden, containing the Lutyens bench, to the secret garden beyond the arch. At the front of the house is a delightful courtyard entry garden. In the back of the home, while the focus is the St. Johns River, enjoyment of that view is enhanced by the addition of a new spacious covered porch at the back of the house and an arbor at the pool, both designed by Richard Skinner & Associates. The garden areas are varied with a classic parterre garden by the porch and a summer flower garden beyond. ‘Belinda’s Dream’ roses flank the arbor, with a small more formal garden to view at the opposite end of the pool. Massive azaleas left by the former homeowner thrive in the shady part of the yard. There is much to enjoy here all year long, and all is enhanced by the owners’ collections of garden ornamentation.

$30 day pass for all four private gardens and the Cummer Museum, or $10 per private garden; children 12 and under free. Day passes are available at the Cummer Museum, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 1-888-842-2442, or visit www.gardenconservancy.org/open-days for more information.

Cherry Street Church of Christ will host a free community clothing giveaway on Saturday, March 30, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. The giveaway will be held at the building, 1140 McDuff Ave. South, in the Historic Riverside neighborhood. Various sizes and items of apparel will be available free to the community.

For more information about the giveaway, call (904) 389-8200; or email [email protected].

All works of art created at the event are available for sale – with proceeds benefiting the participating artists and the Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens. Admission is free, with donations to the arboretum encouraged. Visitors can stroll along the trails to watch and interact with participating artists as they work. The event schedule is as follows:

Saturday, March 30

• 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. – Food Truck Guest: Stumbling Steer BBQ
• 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Music by Old Dawgs New Trixx featuring Carlton Higginbotham, John Roche and Ron Spencer
• Noon – 3 p.m. – Children’s Art Activities
• Artists’ Demos (see schedule at the event)

Sunday, March 31

• 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. – Food Truck Guest: Stumbling Steer BBQ
• 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. – Music by Side Track Duo featuring Terry Whitehead and Dave Knopsnyder
• Noon – 3 p.m. – Children’s Art Activities
• Artists’ Demos (see schedule at the event)

The event is sponsored by “Cypress” sponsor bestbet, “Hickory” sponsors Office Environments & Services (OE&S) and the “Press On” Foundation, along with “Azalea” sponsor JM Family Enterprises. In-kind sponsors include Arbus Magazine, AB Signs, Citi, Hartley Press, Karate America, Panera Bread and PRI Productions – along with David and Janet English,  Stephen and Bernice Dunn and Randy Pitts.

For sponsorship information, contact JAG Executive Director Diane Machaby at [email protected].

The Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens (JAG) and First Coast Plein Air Painters will host the 2019 A Brush with Nature plein air painting event.

All works of art created at the event are available for sale – with proceeds benefiting the participating artists and the Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens.

Admission is free, with donations to the arboretum encouraged.

Visitors can stroll along the trails to watch and interact with participating artists as they work.

Activities in the planning stage include artists’ demonstrations each day, art activities for children, entertainment and food truck participation.

The event is sponsored by “Cypress” sponsor bestbet, “Hickory” sponsors Office Environments & Services (OE&S) and the “Press On” Foundation, along with “Azalea” sponsor JM Family Enterprises.

For sponsorship information, contact JAG Executive Director Diane Machaby at [email protected].

Springfield Preservation and Revitalization Council (SPAR) is pleased to announce their spring music series, Music on Main, will be taking place this March in Sesquicentennial Park (1527 N. Main Street).

The event will include food trucks, live music, beer and wine, and will be free and open to the public. The park will open on each event date at 5 p.m., and music will be featured from 6-8 p.m. The March 6 event will also serve as the grand opening of Sesquicentennial Park.
March 6 – Trev Barnes

March 13 – Folk is People

March 20 – Band Be Easy

March 27 – Let’s Ride Brass Band

March 31 – Jacksonville Symphony Ensemble

The series is sponsored by IBERIABANK and Engine 15 Brewing Company.

Sesquicentennial Park is a temporary pocket park on Main Street, created by SPAR in celebration of 150 years of the Springfield neighborhood. The park is centered around a century-old live oak tree, will be semi-enclosed with picket fencing and feature a stage.

You can visit www.sparcouncil.org/sesquicentennial to stay up to date on SPAR sesquicentennial events.