Gnome Matter How You Slice it, it will be a Fun Day!
On Saturday March 5th, from 9 am to 3 pm, the UF/IFAS Orange County Extension Master Gardener Volunteers will host the 10th annual Garden Festival and Plant Sale at the extension campus at 6021 S. Conway, Orlando, FL 32812. This free, fun-filled event includes nursery and garden art vendors, kid’s activities, speakers on all things gardening, a gnome scavenger hunt and Kid’s Zone, as well as having our Master Gardener Volunteers available to diagnose your plant issues.
Shop for plants from local nurseries and if you like adding a bit of fun and whimsy to your garden, the artisans who will be at the day’s festivities will be right up your alley. Included with our vendors will be food trucks! To learn more about gardening, there will be:
Educational Sessions by:
9:30am: Tia Silvasy – Intro to Florida Friendly Landscaping
11:00am: Tom MacCubbin – Do’s and Don’ts of Florida Gardening
12:00pm: Brittany A. Council-Morton – What are Jr. Master Gardeners?
1:00pm: Siang Yu Tham – Stimulating Your Senses with Gardening
Workshops presented by Orange County Master Gardener Volunteers:
10:50am – 11:10am: Right Tree, Right Place
12:05pm – 12:25pm: Growing Plants from Seeds
1:30pm – 1:50pm: Tia Silvasy – Plant Propagation from Cuttings
2:00 – 2:20pm: Fran Boettcher – Big Ideas for Small Spaces
Demonstrations by Orange County Master Gardener Volunteers:
10:45am: Mark Bennett – Staghorn Ferns
11:45am: Tania Harmon – Transplanting Orchids
1:15pm: Dena Wild – Growing Vegetables from Scraps
If being in the garden is more your thing, join in one of the Exploration Garden tours, starting on the hour from 9 to 2. You’ll learn about our wonderful gardens and how they are designed and maintained.
Last, but by no means least, what festival would be complete without a Kid’s Zone! Make it and take it projects and crafts will happen outside. Kids can paint rocks to look like gnomes, create garden-themed paper crafts, and our 4-H members will help older kids make a Chia pet gnomes or plant marigolds with a gnome accent stick. And there will be a gnome scavenger hunt and selfies with a gnome!
Plant Vendors:
3 Season Growers
Easy to Grow
Juanita’s Herb Growers
Garden Products and Décor
Concrete Art Handmade
Judy’s Petals
Food Trucks
Mark your calendar for Saturday March 5th. We look forward to seeing you for a fun-filled family event!
Want to learn more? Check out horticulture classes offered by UF/IFAS Extension Orange County at www.ocextension.eventbrite.com. Read about Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ https://ffl.ifas.ufl.edu/. Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GardenFlorida/ and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/oc_extension/ and visit our website https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/orange/home-lawns-landscapes-and-gardens/florida-friendly-landscaping/.
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