Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, April 23, 1990 TAG: 9004210424
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: E-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: TRACIE FELLERS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Weekend events, ranging from wildflower walks to a star-gazing session in honor of National Astronomy Day, are designed to appeal to a variety of interests.
The wildflower weekend starts Friday at 7 p.m. with a multimedia environmental show called "Small Secrets: A Creature Garden of Verses." In the show, which will take place in the museum's Hopkins Planetarium, viewers will see flowers and butterflies through the macrophotography of Arthur Gladstone and the words of his wife, author and poet Helen Worth.
"Small Secrets" has been called "a garden of visual delights" by reviewers and described as "sensual," "passionate" and "dazzling." A question-and-answer session with Gladstone and Worth will follow the program. Tickets for the event are $7.25 for museum members, $8 for non-members.
The weekend blossoms Saturday morning with guided wildflower walks, workshops, presentations and a special evening event.
Among the six wildflower walks is a tour of Roaring Run, where participants can explore streams and a shale barren, a cliff of fine-grained shale.
Wildflower walks and wildflower garden tours will be led by faculty members from area colleges, the science museum staff, Virginia Native Plant Society members, and Mill Mountain Garden Club members.
After the walks Saturday, the museum will wrap up the flower-filled day with an event called "Star Flowers to Star Pictures." The event starts with a 3:30 p.m. hike at Smart View (milepost 139 on the Blue Ridge Parkway), where participants can view yellow star grass, hepatica, fire pinks and pussy toes.
A sunset picnic will follow the hike at 5:30 p.m. The museum will provide beverages.
After the picnic, wildflower warriors can turn their sights from the ground to the skies and take in some star-gazing in celebration of National Astronomy Day. Starting about 7 p.m., participants can view constellations in the Southern night sky. Advance registration is recommended for this event. Fees are $3.50 for members, $4 for non-members. Special fees of $12 (members) and $14 (non-members) are offered for families of four. The hike will take place rain or shine; the picnic and star-gazing will depend on clear skies.
Those who can't get out to the walks - or who would prefer to enjoy the wildflower weekend at a not-so-wild pace - can take advantage of indoor activities at the science museum Saturday.
The weekend reaches full bloom Sunday with more wildflower walks and wildflower garden tours.
Advance registration is required for all wildflower walks. Each walk is limited to 25 people. The registration fee is $2.50 for museum members, $3.50 for non-members. Directions to meeting places for each walk will be provided upon registration. For more information, call the Science Museum of Western Virginia at 342-5710, Monday through Friday during business hours.
by CNB