STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

With it finally feeling like spring, the Sawtooth Botanical Garden is curating a slate of boutique events—small, intimate community gatherings with both entertainment and educational components designed to get people out and enjoying the beautiful botanical garden.

“We endeavor to showcase the beautiful garden throughout the growing season,” said executive director Jen smith. “Every time you visit, it’s a little different and always fun!”

THE SPRING AND SUMMER LINEUP:

The third annual Wood River Valley Daffodil Festival will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 11. Admission is $30, with mothers, seniors and youth under 17 admitted free. Tours of the 14 outdoor sculptures and garden areas boasting 30,000 daffodil bulbs will be available. There’ll be mimosas, live music and a selection of brunch fare, and attendees can take home bouquets of daffodils for Mother’s Day.

The Bug Zoo Festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 18, with classroom field trips offered May 15-17. Cost for the Bug Zoo Festival is $10 per adult, $5 for youth and free for those 3 and under.

Free Wildflower Walks are slated to begin Thursday, May 23, with a trip from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to the Camas Prairie to see the sea of blue camas there. Wildflower walks will be offered throughout the summer on Thursdays with the locations based on where the flowers are blooming.

Discovery Club will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. every Wednesday from June 12 through Aug. 21 free of charge. Youth ages 2-5 and their adult helpers will be treated to stories, fun activities and a chance to explore different parts of the garden.

The Fourth Annual Pride in the Garden Festival will expand to a five-day festival of events June 26-30. This event, which celebrates the LGBTQAI+ community and its allies, will include free events and ticketed events.

Free guided tours of the Garden of Infinite Compassion will take from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Saturdays beginning July 6 and running through Aug. 24.

The 29th annual Garden Tour is slated for 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, July 27. The North Valley Tour des Fleurs Deuxieme Partie! will showcase six private gardens in southeast Ketchum and just south of Ketchum.

The second annual Peruvian pachamanca will take place on Aug. 10, offering Wood River Valley residents a chance to experience a traditional Peruvian dinner cooked in the ground.

Walk & Wine, a lovely opportunity to stroll through late summer gardens while sampling wines and paired appetizers while listening to live music will take place Aug. 28.

Gimlets in the Garden rounds out the season from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Sept. 26. The laid-back event is an opportunity to join friends around a good meal, a hosted bar and listen to live music while enjoying the garden in its late summer glory.

While some events are free, proceeds from other events will benefit the Garden’s general operations. Learn how you can attend, volunteer or sponsor these events at https://www.sbgarden.org/events. Or, call 208-726-9358. The garden is also available for private events.