Gnomes invade Garfield Conservatory: CityMoms Report
The garden gnomes are back in action at the Garfield Park Conservatory! The following is a recap of CityMom writer Abby's visit in 2019 - hopefully it gives you an idea of what could be in store at the 2022 showing of "Gnome Away From Home: Game On," now through April 3. This is a super family-friendly and fun activity but only around for a short while so start making your plans now!
Gnome Away From Home is a family-friendly event put on by the beautifully maintained Garfield Conservatory.
Although it’s not a short drive for us, our family visited over the weekend and really enjoyed being able to explore this little gem in Indianapolis.
Walking up to the building, we noticed some whimsy and poofy trees painted on the windows. We were excited to visit Gnome Away From Home, the Garfield Conservatory's annual spring display of garden gnomes and their antics... While it was dreary outside, we were welcomed into a warm, green, and vibrant setting. Before we knew it, we were in the Land of The Lorax. The bright colors popped against all the green and were the perfect way to start off the display!
The 2019 exhibit featured characters from Dr. Seuss!
We grabbed our scavenger hunt list and were off! We were able to find almost all of the items for the hunt except one of the bonus items – The Ninja (let me tell you… the bonus items are hidden well). The gal at the front was full of clues to help with the find when we came up short though. It took some bending, crouching down, and keen eyes to find that one.
This year’s theme was a hit too - ki’s movies & fairy tales! Snow White, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, and the Wizard of Oz were just a few of the arrangements. The Emerald City staging was my favorite. Colorful, big, and seemed to take center stage! My girls enjoyed it too.
An Alice inspired table scape from the 2019 exhibit.
The theme in 2019 was popular children’s movies.
The entire display takes about 25-40 min to walk around depending on how fast you search or how much you read about the plant life around you. And the quirky music keeps you in the spirit the whole way through. Don’t feel like you can’t go around multiple times either. We walked through it three times, and I let my 1.5-year-old walk the last lap. (Hot parenting tip: Just keep an eye on the littles around the koi ponds).
SUMMER IS COMING: Here's our full 2022 Summer Camps Guide
While we did run around the gardens last time, we didn’t get out to explore this time because it was raining. We can’t wait to go search for the gnomes again next year! And hopefully we’ll get around to taking the gardens in while they are in bloom. It’s a real treat when the weather is a bit nicer because the conservatory is surrounded by these beautiful sunken gardens.
Even the Ghostbusters made an appearance!
The 2022 exhibit theme is "Gnome Away From Home: Game On” - the gnomes are putting their spin on classic board games - and we’ve got a few previews for you:
Hungry hippos can be found at the 2022 exhibit, courtesy of Kaitlynn McShea.
Spot your favorite games at the new “Game On” theme in 2022, photo preview courtesy of Kaitlynn McShea.
Hurry to see Gnome Away From Home at Garfield Conservatory before the gnomes head on out. This display is sure to put a smile on your face and is the perfect day-in with the family!
MORE INFO: Gnome Away From Home runs March 19-April 3. The Garfield Conservatory is located at 2505 Conservatory Drive on the southeast side of Indianapolis. Admission is $5/person or $12/family and tickets are purchased at the door. For more details, visit their website.