5 Weekend Events

Tour gardens, purchase plants, peruse art and pottery, and treat mom to a day for her

From events in the heart of Charlotte, to Matthews, to Lake Norman, and Belmont, this weekend is packed with must-dos.

Wing Haven Gardens presents its 20th-annual garden tour on Saturday and Sunday. The tour includes seven private gardens and the gardens at Wing Haven. Each garden on the tour was created by the home owners, who will be available to talk to attendees about their hands-on experiences. Blackhawk Garden Center, in Park Road Shopping Center, sponsors the tour. Tickets are available at Blackhawk or at Wing Haven and cost $30 through today and $35 Saturday and Sunday.

This Saturday, the last of the Mecklenburg Extension Master Gardener Spring Plant Sales takes place at Matthews Community Farmers' Market. Annuals, perennials, herbs, vegetables, shrubs, and trees — grown by Master Gardeners — will be available. The varieties offered are proven to thrive in the Southern Piedmont region. Master Gardeners will answer questions and provide tips on planting and maintenance. The market is open from 8 a.m. to noon.

Also on Saturday, Carolina Clay Matters will hold its Spring Pottery Festival at McAlpine Business Park. Carolina Clay Matters is a guild made up of area ceramic artists. The group holds two shows a year, once in the spring and again in the fall. Sixty-five potters will be at this weekend's show. For a sampling of their work, click here. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Lake Norman Fine Arts Festival will also take place this weekend on Saturday and Sunday. Works of various media, including fiber, painting, sculpture, ceramic, metal, and glass, will be available. The show is located at Birkdale Village in Huntersville. Admission is free. For more information about the show's artists, click here.

And if you're looking to treat mom to a day all her own, visit Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden for Mother's Day at the Garden. All moms are admitted free on Saturday and Sunday. The first 250 mothers to arrive at the garden each day receive a free potted plant. Other special events include yoga sessions every hour, carriage rides, and Italian ice. On Sunday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., the garden will hold a Mother's Day Wine Walk with wines from the Yadkin Valley. The additional cost for the wine walk is $20 a person or $30 for two people, and it includes a commemorative glass. To purchase advance tickets, click here.