Helping maintain the Cultural Gardens is a monumental task.  Fortunately, local organizations have pitched in regularly to help.  CSU student and staff did outstanding jobs in 2008, for example.

But we can use much more help.  Consider getting a group together to spend an hour or more at one of the Gardens; your choice or ours.  We’ll provide on site supervision to work with you and make you efforts something to be very proud of.  Contact the Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation at 216-916-7755.

For example, thanks to a network of volunteer organizations, college students from across the country (summer interns in area firms) are working at projects to make the area a better place to live in.  On July 15th, volunteers from Center for Civic Engagement Learning (CWRU), City Year-Cleveland, Hillel-Cleveland, Key Bank, and Summer on the Cuyahoga pitched in and filled a city refuse truck with timber and plant matter that’s been covering Poet’s Corner in the Cultural Gardens of Rockefeller Park for decades.  Overhead a forestry firm trimmed dead wood out of the trees before it hits the ground thanks to an ongoing Holden Parks Trust program, administered by University Circle, Inc.  Great work!  The daily busloads of tourists, local visitors and residents will have even more to enjoy.

Hear local recording artist and CIM grad, Marcia Snavely present selected Liszt piano pieces and other works in the Hungarian Cultural Garden at  1070 East Blvd on Sunday afternoon, August 2, between 2 and 4 PM.  Concert is free and open to the public.  Enjoy this exceptional Garden at the height of its summer glory.  Bring your own chair or blanket.  On street parking at the Garden.  Additionally there will be a brief, dogwood tree planting ceremony, placing them as specified in the original design, which is part of the Hungarian Cultural Garden’s continuing efforts to restore the Garden.

The New York Times recently posted an article touring gardens around Philadelphia in Escapes. Obviously, it is well worth the trip. Even better, though, is the website of the Greater Philadelphia Gardens, a collaborative endeavor of over 30 different Gardens in the Philadelphia area.

A walking tour of the Czech and Slovak Gardens, sponsored by the Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences, will take place on Sunday, August 9 at 4 PM.  All are invited.  Learn about the Gardens’ history and prominent features and figures represented in the gardens. Meet on East Boulevard at the Italian Garden. The tour will conclude at 6 PM with the Italian Garden opera performance by Opera per Tutti. For further information, email slovakgarden@tccgf.org or call (216) 916-7755 to leave a message for the Slovak Garden contacts.

Join in the Slovak Garden monthly work parties.  Remaining dates this year are August 1, August 29, September 19 and October 10.  The group meets at 9:30 AM.  Bring your garden gloves and come ready to dig in!  For further information, email  slovakgarden@tccgf.org or call (216) 916-7755 to leave a message for the Slovak Garden delegates.