Celebrate all things trees with activities for the whole family

There’s no better place to spend a day appreciating trees than at an accredited arboretum, and Arbor Day events at Cheekwood Estate & Gardens aim to educate and entertain guests of all ages. An exciting lineup of activities includes everything from hands-on workshops to tree trivia. While strolling through Cheekwood’s botanical garden and arboretum, visitors will have the chance to learn how trees have provided inspiration for centuries and get their tree-planting questions answered by Cheekwood experts. The first 500 visitors will take home a free tree sapling.

9 a.m. – 3 p.m. | Cheekwood Resource Table | Arboretum Lawn
Branch out and expand your knowledge! Cheekwood offers numerous resources for both in-person and online learning. Visit the resource table to get a sneak peek of The Cheekwood Gardening School summer class lineup and discover hidden gems on the Cheekwood website.

10 a.m. & 2 p.m. | Bradford Robertson Color Garden Entrance
Arboretum Tour with Vice President of Garden & Facilities, Peter Grimaldi

10 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Bracken Foundation Children’s Garden
TOTS! Tree Craft & Storytime

10 a.m. – 3 p.m. | Reading Table | Arboretum Lawn
Explore a captivating selection of tree-inspired books for readers of all ages.

10 a.m. – 3 p.m. | Tree Trivia | Arboretum Lawn
Expand your knowledge with trivia about trees at Cheekwood and learn how to identify different tree types based on the leaves and bark and where to discover them in the garden.

11 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Charles Brindley: Creative Process and a Celebration of Arbor Day |
Massey Auditorium in Botanical Hall
Noted Nashville-based artist Charles Brindley will discuss creativity in everyday life and art. In celebration of Arbor Day, the artist will provide a special discussion on trees and the unique woodland pasture landscape of the Nashville Basin and Kentucky Bluegrass.

11 a.m. | Forest Bathing | Frist Learning Center Events Lawn
Learn about the Japanese practice of Forest Bathing, or Shirin-yoku. Hear from Sarah Champion, certified Forest Bathing guide, as she breaks down how the process works and what the benefits are.

1 p.m. | Charles Brindley: The Old Tree Drawing | Massey Auditorium in Botanical Hall
Charles Brindley will illustrate many aspects of drawing and painting trees. The discussion portion of this workshop will be followed by time spent drawing in the surrounding Cheekwood landscape. All skill levels are welcome to attend. Participants should bring drawing materials. A limited amount of materials will be available for use.

Vendors
From 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Lot B, an exciting array of local food trucks will offer refreshing fruit-infused flavors along with hearty, savory favorites.

All Arbor Day activities are included with membership or general admission. Tickets can be reserved at cheekwood.org.

Arbor Day is presented by Piedmont Natural Gas and Tennessee 811.

With its intact and picturesque vistas, Cheekwood is distinguished as one of the leading Country Place Era estates in the nation. Formerly the family home of Mabel and Leslie Cheek, the 1930s estate, with its 30,000-square-foot Mansion and 55-acres of gardens, today serves the public as a botanical garden, arboretum and art museum with furnished period rooms and permanent collection galleries devoted to American art from the 18th to mid-20th centuries. The property includes 13 distinct gardens including the Blevins Japanese Garden and the Bracken Foundation Children’s Garden, as well as a 1.5-mile woodland trail featuring outdoor monumental sculpture. Each year, Cheekwood hosts seasonal festivals including Cheekwood in Bloom, Summertime at Cheekwood, Cheekwood Harvest and Holiday LIGHTS. Cheekwood is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and nationally as a Level II Arboretum. It is a three-time voted USA Today Top 10 Botanical Garden and in 2021 was recognized by Fodor’s as one of the 12 Most Beautiful Gardens in the American South. Cheekwood is located eight miles southwest of downtown Nashville at 1200 Forrest Park Drive. It is open Tuesday through Sunday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., with extended days and hours of operation depending on the season. Check cheekwood.org for current hours and to purchase advance tickets required for admission.