Add a little color to your life with a visit to the North Carolina Arboretum and discover blooms in abundance at this spring’s plant shows. Educational programming, including classes and question- and-answer sessions, will provide useful information for all skill levels. The events celebrate the beauty of the season and offer inspiration for garden enthusiasts and can serve to brighten even the most challenging of days.

The Dahlia Tuber Sale & Mum Plant Sale will be on Saturday, May 14. A wide variety of dahlia tubers and chrysanthemum rooted cuttings (featuring cultivated varieties) will be available for purchase. Learning from Dahlia and Mum Society experts, visitors can uncover the secrets of how to produce plants with show quality blooms. This year’s sale will also feature heritage tomatoes, zinnias, and marigolds.

On May 28–29, the Asheville-Blue Ridge Rose Society will host its annual show, featuring award-winning roses of every color and size. Experts will answer questions and provide information about the selection, care, and history of these elegant garden plants. A sale will be held in conjunction with the exhibition, which will include rose plants, fertilizer, and soil amendments.

Shows and events are free for Arboretum Society members or with the standard parking fee ($8 per personal motor vehicle). Visitors are also encouraged to explore the Arboretum’s kaleidoscope of spring col- ors, 65 acres of cultivated gardens, ten miles of hiking and biking trails, and engaging exhibits.

For more information, call 828.665.2492 or visit ncarboretum.org.