On Thursday evenings during Flowers After Five, you can enjoy a glass of wine or beer surrounded by more than 1,800 rose bushes. Each week features a different theme, pairing music and food tastings with wines from around the world. There are also sandwiches, salads and wraps available for purchase; picnic blankets and chairs are provided or you can bring your own. The Tea House restaurant stays open for dinner until 8:00 p.m. Reservations are recommended and, if you’re lucky, you’ll land a coveted spot on the deck.

On the second Thursday of each month, leashed dogs are allowed to join in the Flowers after Five fun. Appropriately named Fidos After Five, the event is a fundraiser for the Richmond SPCA. The Thursday evening events are rarely overcrowded and seem to work for just about everyone—couples sharing a romantic evening, parents relaxing while their kids play on the lawn, and friends enjoying a group outing.

Every Tuesday evening, Families After Five offers activities for children and extends hours for the Water Play area in the Children’s Garden. Guided activities vary each week, including bug hunting, gardening and music. The whole family can dine al fresco on picnic tables in the Children’s Garden with food purchased from the Garden Café. A must-see for visitors of all ages is the “Diamonds in the Rough” sculpture designed by world-renowned stick sculptor Patrick Dougherty.

Be sure to check LewisGinter.org for hours, admission fees and other details before you visit. Whether you attend Flowers, Fidos or Families after Five, you’ll find the stress of the day will begin to melt away the moment you walk into the Garden.