Although rain rushed many students indoors, TIGUrS garden workers brightened up the University of Memphis campus with a surprise barrage of flower-filled paint buckets Monday.
Hallie Rose, a senior anthropology and philosophy major, strategically placed 10 "Flash Gardens" across campus. She said they not only promote the Thursday, April 17, Meet Us in the Garden Earth Day event at the TIGUrS garden, but also shows people how little space one needs to grow food or flowers.
"Originally we wanted to put vegetables in them," Rose, president of Students Learning Through Urban Gardening, said. "But we ran a little short on time. Next time we will for sure. I think students would be really impressed to see tomato plants growing in the buckets."
Rose said SLUG tries to teach students how to be self-sufficient in an urban setting.
"Working in a garden makes you feel really apart of the environment," Rose said.
Rose and other SLUG members will be at the TIGUrS event to help pick plants and show students what is ready to eat.
Karyl Buddington, team leader of the TIGUrS garden, came up with the surprise flowery advertisement. She said the idea came from the flash mobs that have become so popular.
"I heard of flash mobs, so I thought flash flowers would be nice," Buddington said. "I think it's better than writing ads with chalk on the ground. It is a creative way to get the word out."
The TIGUrS's Earth Day celebrations will include 35 venders, 14 of which will be selling arts and crafts. But she did stress that there will be lots of free things to do including morning yoga, Zumba, Tai Chi, live music by No Drama and classical music by Aaron Brock during the butterfly release, Buddington said.
"We are going to raffle off a bicycle and a whole table of gifts for those who attend," Buddington said. "Subway will also be catering the event. But this is a no waste event."
Raising animal conservation awareness is the theme of the event. Researchers Memphis Zoo researchers Erin Brown, Coffy Bennis and Erin Loeding will speak about primate, penguin and polar bear protection.
"These speakers will talk about the great work the zoo is doing to preserve these endangered animals," Buddington, who is also the director of Animal Care at the U of M, said.
Vinodini Jayaraman, the artist of the TIGUrS garden's mural will also be there Thursday to talk about her work, which deals with endangered animals.
The event starts at 10 a.m. Thursday with the opening ceremonies.
