Kiku Matsuri - Chrysanthemum Festival

Saturday, November 12, 2011 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Come help us celebrate Mums with an Asian Flair at Bellingrath’s Kiku Matsuri – Chrysanthemum Festival! Kiku Matsuri is the fifth of the five annual festivals in the traditional Japanese calendar. The chrysanthemum is the official flower of Japan and is a symbol of longevity, power, dignity and nobility. This year our celebration with be the second week-end in November … just as our Cascade Mums begin to peak.

We are very pleased to welcome back the Mobile Chapter of Ikebana International for our celebration. On Friday, November 11th from 10:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m. the Mobile Chapter of Ikebana International will meet and create arrangements. Guests are invited to attend the meeting or to simply watch members create their wonderful arrangements. Arrangements will be on display in the Magnolia Café on Friday afternoon and throughout the day on Saturday.

On Saturday, November 12, 2011 from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Bellingrath will welcome the Bonsai Society and their beautiful living sculptures which will be on display in the Magnolia Café along with the Ikebana arrangements. The Sumi-e Society will be demonstrating their art and will be happy to teach you how to draw chrysanthemums. The Mobile Ichihara Sister City Association (MISCA) will be on Live Oak Plaza to share information about their organization and to teach the art of origami. You can help us make an origami crane chain. We will complete the celebration with an authentic Japanese Tea Ceremony!

Of course, Bellingrath Gardens will be full of our beautiful Cascade Mums. Don’t miss the film in Boehm Gallery that shows how we grow these living masterpieces.