In the spirit of Tacoma’s 3rd Thursday Art Mingle, the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden will host FREE evenings every third Thursday through September. Admission will be free from 4 to 7pm.

The Third Thursday Garden Mingle is the perfect time to relax with friends, family or just you and nature. Take a sunset stroll among thousands of rhododendrons and their companion plants, indulge your sense of photography or relax in nature on a shaded bench. If it gets chilly, you can always find serenity among the rushing waters and towering boulders of the tropical Rutherford Conservatory.

The Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden offers much to explore, including the newly installed Blue Poppy Glen located along the accessibility path. Further explorations will take you through the big leaf rhododendron forest, alpine and pond gardens, and Himalayan Blue Poppy meadow. Visit throughout the season to see the wide range of different species rhododendrons and companion plants in flower.

For more botanical artistry, walk through the world’s largest public fern stumpery, a sculptural environment of tree roots and ferns. The Visitor Center Shop and Nursery are fully stocked and will also be open if you want to take home an evening treasure from the Garden.