Bloom Charleston turns Colonial Lake into a living canvas of culture and community

By Melissa Nelson / Images provided by Charleston Parks Conservancy

The free, family-friendly festival on Saturday, October 18, celebrates the unveiling of the new Idea Garden — a three-acre living installation designed to inspire sustainable, resilient landscape design for gardeners of all levels.

Charleston’s Colonial Lake will come to life in a whole new way with the debut of Bloom Charleston, a first-of-its-kind garden and design festival hosted by the Charleston Parks Conservancy. The free, family-friendly festival on Saturday, October 18, celebrates the unveiling of the new Idea Garden — a three-acre living installation designed to inspire sustainable, resilient landscape design for gardeners of all levels.

From 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., attendees can enjoy a full day of hands-on learning, live demonstrations, music, garden tours, shopping and expert-led sessions. Highlights include talks by internationally recognized voices such as Molly Hendry, Miranda Crowell, Lucy Hunter, Mr. Plant Geek and Stephen Eich. Topics range from floral design and biodiversity to garden artistry and Lowcountry gardening tips and tricks. The Charleston Symphony Brass Ensemble will perform a musical interlude.

In addition to the scheduled talks, the following activities will be available throughout the day: Plants From Your Parks Plant Sale supporting the Charleston Parks Conservancy, SEWE Discovery Garden Kids Zone, theatrical children’s readings by Charleston Stage, Live Topiary Shaping Demonstration with Mike Gibson, Home & Garden by Elizabeth Stuart, Buxton Books Garden Bookstore, The Garden Club of Charleston Pop-Up Store, Ask An Expert Gardener with Charleston Horticultural Society, docent led activations throughout the new Colonial Lake idea garden. 

Speaker highlights

• Miranda Crowell, Associate Editorial Director, Better Homes & Gardens
• Stephen Eich, Hollander Design Landscape Architects
• Mike Gibson, Topiarist; founder of Gibson Works
• Molly Hendry, Roots & Ramblings Landscape Design and Lead Designer of the Colonial Lake Revitalization
• Lucy Hunter, Lucy the Flower Hunter; floral & garden artist, author of The Flower Hunter and A Floral Love Story
• Michael Perry, “Mr. Plant Geek” — TV presenter, horticultural speaker, and author of Hortus Curious
• Jessica Gibadlo, Board Chair of Charleston Parks Conservancy
• Darlene Heater, CEO and Executive Director of Charleston Parks Conservancy

Festival programming takes place 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Colonial Lake and nearby Moultrie Park, featuring live music, design demonstrations, workshops, plein-air artists and more.

Beyond its educational and cultural appeal, Bloom Charleston reflects the Charleston Parks Conservancy’s mission in action, enriching public parks and fostering community connections through horticulture, design and education. Since 2007, the Conservancy has partnered with the City of Charleston to care for 26 parks, gardens, and trails, raising 90% of its funding privately to support initiatives that build greener, more connected neighborhoods.

As partners with the City of Charleston, in 2024 the Conservancy planted 46,000 plants and 1,000 trees, mentored 180 gardeners in 3 community gardens, donated 1,200 bouquets grown in its public gardens, and provided 180+ hours of free community programming. Between 2023 and the end of 2025, Charleston Parks Conservancy will have distributed 3,100 free trees to residents, planted 44 trees at Colonial Lake to help mitigate flooding and restore the canopy. Since 2017, Charleston Parks Conservancy has contributed 75 trees to support the City’s street tree program. The Conservancy has also offered free educational opportunities to 400 participants through tree walks, workshops, and community events.

Colonial Lake revitalization by the numbers

• 10,700 plants installed across the three-acre site, including perennials, shrubs, and native groundcovers
• 240 cubic yards of mulch placed to retain moisture, suppress weeds, and support the transition to a “living mulch” system that fosters biodiversity
• Volunteers contributed over 1,200 hours of hands-on work, hand-weeding, mulching, and planting—to help prepare the site for the festival unveiling
• Sustainable methods: Manual weed removal, plant-based treatments, and low-emission tools, all part of a low-toxicity, prevention-first approach protecting Charleston’s waterways, soil health, and pollinators

About the Charleston Parks Conservancy

The Charleston Parks Conservancy is a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring the people of Charleston to connect with their parks and create stunning public places and a strong community. The Conservancy secures 90% of the funding annually required to maintain the gardens and to provide free community programming in 26 City parks through private and corporate donations. As a partner to the City of Charleston, the Conservancy provides year-round care for its parks and gardens, focusing on strategic seasonal plantings, major park revitalizations, and sustainable maintenance practices. For more information, visitcharlestonparksconservancy.org.