Adkins Arboretum will celebrate the American Public Gardens Association’s (APGA) fifth annual National Public Gardens Day by waiving admission fees on Fri., May 10.

Slated to coincide with Mother’s Day weekend, the unofficial start of spring, National Public Gardens Day affords public gardens an opportunity to showcase their gardens and highlight the valuable contributions they make to their communities.

On National Public Gardens Day, Arboretum visitors can shop from the region’s largest selection of ornamental native plants at the Native Plant Nursery; view an exhibition by artists Katherine Kavanaugh and Jennifer Wallace; take a self-guided tour or an audio tour; explore the forest, wetland, meadows and gardens; and learn about the link between native plants, land conservation and a healthy Chesapeake Bay. Visitors who become members will receive a free one-year subscription to Better Homes and Gardens magazine, in addition to a host of other benefits.

Arboretum hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Nursery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and weekends by appointment.

Founded in 1940, Delaware-based APGA is devoted to strengthening public gardens throughout North America. Its membership includes more than 500 public gardens in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Canada and seven other countries.

Adkins Arboretum is a 400-acre native garden and preserve at the headwaters of the Tuckahoe Creek in Caroline County. Open year round, the Arboretum offers educational programs for all ages about nature and gardening. Through its Campaign to Build a Green Legacy, it will build the W. Flaccus and Ruth B. Stifel Center at Adkins Arboretum and a “green” entranceway to broaden educational offerings and research initiatives promoting best practices in conservation and land stewardship. For additional information about Arboretum programs, visit www.adkinsarboretum.org or call 410-634-2847, ext. 0.