This weekend the Des Moines Botanical Center will kick off the first of many events going on in the upcoming weeks.

The Great Tree Give Away, in honor of Arbor Day, kicks off today and will conclude Sunday. For the 16th year, the Center will host this event and will give the first 1,800 visitors a 9- to 12-inch seedling. Hours for the program are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, and 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

The flashy and colorful impatiens will be on display through May 12. This flower show will spotlight the flowers and provide facts about the plant. A highlight of the show includes the display of New Guinea Impatiens, which reach up to 4″ in diameter.

For those of you who want to feed your intellect with gardening, water your mind so you will grow knowledgeable about herbs, irises, pest control and heirloom gardening. These classes will be offered throughout the month of May.

These workshops include Gardening For and With Children, Using Herbs To Create Fragrances, Growing Iris In Iowa, Pest Control For Home Gardeners and Tuesday Tea: Heirloom Gardening. All classes run form 7 to 9 p.m., with he exception of Heirloom Gardening, which is scheduled from 1 to 3 p.m. Call 242-2934 for further information regarding these courses.

And there’s more. On May 4, herbs will be on sale from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. The Herb Study group will be sponsoring this event. Fragrance, culinary and medicinal herbs in 64 varieties can be picked up at reasonable costs. Members of the Herb Study Group will be present to answer any questions and will gladly share their knowledge with visitors.

Also on May 4, more than 400 miniature rose plants will be sold by the Des Moines Rose Society and the Southwest District Chapter of the Iowa Rose Society. These admired flowers will be sold from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.

These beauties will be sold at affordable prices. What better way to show your love for your mom with Mother’s Day around the corner?

Last but not least, the Botanical Center’s Garden Gate Cafe will hold a “Lunch Along the River” program from May 1 through September 30. For bargain price lunches ranging from $4.50 to $6, you can get a lunchbox with a sandwich, chips, cookie and beverage.

Healthful fruit and salad lunches are also available in the same price range. Shirley Weese, manager of the cafe, said, “We want to make sure that those purchasing box lunches are as pleased with our food as they will be with the garden setting.” These lunches will be available in advance by calling 273-8724.

Admission for the Great Tree Giveaway, Impatient Impatiens, the Miniature Rosebush Sale and the Herb Sale is 50 cents for college students with ID. The Botanical Center is located at 909 East River Dr., in Des Moines.