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Budding gardeners get in the weeds, ladybugs take flight and elaborate floral displays adorn the landscape at the
Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival April 19 through June 2, 2002. To celebrate the horticultural tradition
begun by Walt Disney the entertainment icon at the heart of the year-long 100 Years of Magic celebration -- Epcot
each year hosts one of the largest flower and garden parties on the planet. Now in its ninth year, the six-week
salute to the beauty and joys of gardening is a fitting tribute to the man who wouldn't build a theme park without
landscape perfection.
Epcot guests are treated to daily gardening demonstrations and guided tours, as well as seminars by nationally known
experts and Disney landscape specialists. The horticulture staff produces weekend events including the
"I Dig Bugs Weekend" April 26-28 and "Art in the Garden Weekend" May 3-5. Evenings,
Flower Power music from the 1960s
and '70s is in full swing at America Gardens Theatre with recording stars that include Davy Jones and Arlo Guthrie.
The real stars of the event, however, are the park's 100-plus topiary displays created exclusively for the festival.
Inspired by the 100 Years of Magic celebration, the signature topiaries will take their cue from Disney classics such
as "Fantasia" and "Steamboat Willie" pioneering works that represent major innovations in the world of animation.
Special displays from the newest plants and award-winning roses to a garden just for kids appeal not only to gardening
enthusiasts but to "budding" gardeners, as well. A gardening information gazebo is open throughout the event.
Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival guest information is available by visiting
www.disneyworld.com or calling 407/824-4321.
Additional Information:
Petal Power! The 2002 Epcot Flower & Garden Festival
Features More to See and Do Than Ever Before
Blooming bulbs, colorful gardens, and more than 100 topiaries will spring up during the Epcot
International Flower & Garden Festival April 19-June 2. The six-week festival, which has more
new elements than ever before, also features presentations by horticultural experts plus
special musical fun.
"Now is a great time to come out to Epcot and celebrate spring at the International Flower &
Garden Festival!" said Brad Rex, vice president of Epcot. "With all the new elements,
incredible flower displays and wonderful entertainment, the festival is especially fun for
families to enjoy together. I can't wait to bring my family here to see the 30 million flowers,
hear the wonderful music and watch my children have fun at the Kids Garden and Kids Zone."
The festival is busting at the seams with new and bigger displays such as the largest Floating
Gardens in festival history, Terrific Trees, Florida Dooryard Garden and Power of Flowers.
For "budding" gardeners, the Kids Garden features story telling and favorite character
topiaries from Disney films.
Another new highlight to this year's festival is a special tribute to Walt Disney and his
contributions as a pioneer in animation. A Topiary Salute to 100 Years of Magic features
Disney classics such as "Steamboat Willie," "Flowers and Trees," "101 Dalmatians" and "Fantasia."
The 100 Years of Magic celebration, going on now until Dec. 31 at Walt Disney World Resort,
honors the 100th anniversary of Walt Disney's birth with new attractions and entertainment at
all four theme parks.
In addition to the special topiary display, festival guests will enjoy: the Great American
Gardeners Speaker Series featuring tips from experts such as Paul James, host of HGTV's
"Gardening By the Yard"; award-winning displays; kid-friendly activities such as ladybug and
butterfly releases; and handy horticulturists who can answer gardening questions.
The festival fun continues into the evening with the "Flower Power" concert series, which rocks
with groups popular in the 60s and 70s and 80s such as Davy Jones, who appears opening weekend.
Others scheduled to appear include The Turtles, Paul Revere and The Raiders, and Arlo Guthrie.
Here are some more highlights of this year's festival:
What's New
- Kids Garden: Storybook Adventures -- Children will enjoy topiaries and favorite Disney
stories such as "The Lion King" and "Beauty and the Beast." Young gardeners can also
participate in special crafts, and ladybug releases.
- Floating gardens -- The 2002 festival will feature 75 additional floating gardens, bringing
the total for the festival to nearly 200.
- Florida Dooryard Garden -- This display features five different architectural styles found
in Florida and showcases plants that can be used to create them.
- Power of Flowers -- A colorful display of more than 15,000 bedding plants.
- Terrific Trees -- Guests can learn how to select the perfect trees for accenting and for
shade, how to plant them and what to look for in a nursery. A variety of trees will be on
display.
- Tip Top Turf -- A visit with specialists in the turf garden will result in tips for a
perfect, green lawn.
- New Displays in World Showcase -- The countries of World Showcase bloom with floral
displays. Check out the heritage palette in The American Adventure with colorful containers,
floral flags and star topiaries; the rose palette in Morocco; and the color palette in Canada,
which has a unique 50-foot floral peacock with 25-foot-long plumes.
- Gardening For Food Around the World -- Scientists from international research centers in
Asia, Africa and Latin America show crops that people from their homelands grow for food and
demonstrate the many challenges of food production.
Themed Weekends
- Opening Weekend (April 19-21) -- The Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival kicks off
with a blast of petal power and more new festival elements than ever before.
- I Dig Bugs (April 26-28) -- Guests can get their hands dirty as they dig up cool facts
about bugs -- friends and foes -- which keep gardens healthy, and find out secret occupations
of insects. Guest specialist is Nathan Erwin, manager of the Smithsonian Institution's Insect
Zoo.
- Art in the Garden (May 3-5) -- Renowned artists will delight guests by magically capturing
the beauty of Epcot gardens. Central Florida garden experts Tom and Joani MacCubbin give tips
on how to add style and pizzazz to personal gardens with unique garden elements.
- Mother's Day Invitational Flower Show (May 10-12) -- Moms are treated to a photo and a
flower on Mother's Day (May 12) and have the opportunity to enjoy the Food Among the Flowers
Brunch. Seating times on May 11 are at 10:30 a.m., noon and 1:30 p.m. Seating times on May 12
are at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Price for the buffet is $29.95 plus tax for
adults and $10.95 plus tax for ages 3-9. Call 407/WDW-DINE for priority seating. Space is
limited.
- Green Thumb Weekend (May 17-19) -- Garden experts reveal trade secrets to help guests turn
their green thumb greener. P. Allen Smith, host of "P. Allen Smith Gardens," demonstrates how
to create beautiful mini-gardens with a simple design.
- Kids Weekend (May 24-27) -- The festival salutes "budding gardeners" with a weekend packed
with a variety of activities specifically designed for young gardeners. Special Kid Zone
activities in the Festival Center at Epcot include seed masks and pet rocks.
Guided Tours
- Epcot Garden Discoveries ($59) -- A Disney horticulturist guides guests on a three-hour
tour of special displays and the award-winning international gardens of Epcot. Guests can
register at Epcot Guest Relations or in advance by calling 407/WDW-TOUR or at Epcot Guest
Relations. Tours are offered Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
- Behind the Seeds - A Guided Greenhouse Tour ($6) -- This one-hour tour at The Land offers
the latest techniques used to grow more than 60 crops from around the world. Guests can
register at the tour desk in the Green Thumb Emporium at The Land pavilion.
National Personalities Offer Gardening Tips
At 2002 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival
Some of the most recognized and respected names in gardening offer tips and entertaining
stories to guests during the Great American Gardeners Speaker Series at the 2002 Epcot
International Flower & Garden Festival. Every Friday and Saturday during the festival
(April 19-June 2) at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., guests can attend presentations by these garden
experts. Scheduled to appear:
- Paul James, host of HGTV's "Gardening By the Yard," answers questions and offers helpful
tips about gardening -- April 19 and 20.
- Nathan Erwin, manager of the Smithsonian Institute's Insect Zoo, talks about the
"secret occupations" of insects -- April 26 and 27.
- Tom and Joani MacCubbin, local gardening authorities, show guests how to add style and
pizzazz to their gardens -- May 3 and 4.
- Pat Hammer, topiary artist and author of the book The New Topiary, stuffs, trims and shapes
tabletop living sculptures -- May 10 and 11.
- P. Allen Smith, noted garden reporter, shows guests how to create beautiful mini gardens
with simple, innovative techniques -- May 17 and 18.
- Sharon Lovejoy, award-winning author, shares tips on how to get the entire family into
gardening -- May 24 and 25.
- Pat Stone, co-author of Chicken Soup for the Gardener's Soul, offers inspirational and
entertaining stories about gardening -- May 31 and June 1.
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