May is officially upon us! The weather for the past week has finally acted as though spring is in full swing, and that means gardens are beginning to bloom with flowers, as well as weeds. (Actually, weeds sounds like a nasty name, so let's call them "volunteers.")

Whether it's something you planted there yourself, or a surprise resident who has managed to take root in your yard, now is the perfect time to get out in the great outdoors, do some dirty work and generally just revel in the mild temperatures and beautiful sights that is the Vineyard in spring.  

Luckily, if you're not a dab hand at gardening (let's face it, not all of us are Polly Hills), there are plenty of places around the Island willing to educate and cater to all your aspiring green-thumb needs. 

No "secret" garden, this week's Great Escape takes you to Vineyard Gardens, located on State Road in West Tisbury. The nursery is offering a free Saturday lecture series from now throughout the summer season. This coming Saturday, the knowledgable staff will focus on pruning trees and shrubs, and will teach you the proper way to shape and assist the growth of many different types of plants.  

All those who attend the class will receive a coupon relevant to the day's lesson.  A class on starting plants from seeds, for instance, will earn you a 20 percent off coupon on all seeds at the gardening center, good for that day only. 

If you can't make it this coming Saturday, there's always next week! The topic of lecture and the coupons available change weekly, and can be seen on Vineyard Gardens' events page.