2026 Orange County Garden Festival & Plant Sale
Saturday, March 7, 2026 | 8:30 am – 3:00 pm
UF/IFAS Extension Orange County
6021 S. Conway Road, Orlando, FL 32812
Springtime at our Extension Office is the best time of the year! Our biggest gardening event of the year is back, always on the first Saturday in March, we look forward to welcoming you back for a fun-filled day celebrating plants, gardening, and community at the 2026 Garden Festival & Plant Sale.
Festival Highlights:
Plant Vendors – Shop from a variety of local growers and specialty plant sellers.
Educational Sessions – Learn tips, techniques, and best practices from expert gardeners.
Garden Tours – Stroll through our beautiful Exploration Gardens and get inspired.
Kid Zone Activities – Hands-on crafts and fun for the whole family.
Leaf it to Luck Raffle – Enter for a chance to win great prizes.
This free, family-friendly event is hosted by the UF/IFAS Extension Orange County Master Gardener Volunteers. Proceeds from vendor sales help support local horticulture education, youth gardening programs, and community outreach. All vendor spots are filled, but if you’d like to join out waitlist or be considered for next year, please send us an email at: ocmgvvendors@gmail.com.
Auditorium Keynote Speakers:
- 11 am- Florida Native Landscaping by Dr. Heather Kalaman, Florida-Friendly Landscaping Agent
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Curious about adding more native plants to your landscape but unsure where to start? This class explores the ecological and aesthetic benefits of native species, highlighting several often-overlooked, low-maintenance plants that attract pollinators and support local wildlife. By incorporating these species, you can create resilient, sustainable landscapes that conserve water and reduce reliance on fertilizers and other inputs. Join us as we rethink traditional landscaping practices and celebrate the beauty and value of Florida’s native flora!
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- 12 pm- Let’s Get Growing: How To Start a Community Garden in Your Neighborhood by Calvin Gardner, Urban Residential Horticulture Agent
- This session will be an interesting meeting for those wanting to join a community garden or start one in their community. We will begin by talking about ways to create your own community garden and how to personalize it to your neighborhood. We will also have a few short talks from local community garden leaders followed by Q&A.
- 1 pm- Backyard Habitats: Supporting Birds, Beneficials & Beyond by Clarissa Chairez, Master Gardener Volunteer Coordinator
- Your yard can be more than just a landscape; it can be habitat! In this class, you’ll learn practical ways to support birds, beneficial insects, and other wildlife by designing your landscape with intention. Discover how simple changes like plant layering, water features, and reduced chemical use can create a healthier environment for wildlife while improving the long-term success of your garden.
- Your yard can be more than just a landscape; it can be habitat! In this class, you’ll learn practical ways to support birds, beneficial insects, and other wildlife by designing your landscape with intention. Discover how simple changes like plant layering, water features, and reduced chemical use can create a healthier environment for wildlife while improving the long-term success of your garden.
Educational Demonstrations:
This year live demonstrations by our Master Gardener Volunteers will be held in the Exploration Gardens! You’ll find them along the walkways adjacent to the Youth Activities Pavillion.
- 10 am- Flower Arranging & Container Gardening
- 11 am- Orchid Care & Microirrigation
- 12 pm- Container Gardening & Seed Starting
- 1 pm- Learn the Trick to Easily and Inexpensively Landscape Your Yard
Youth Activities:
Our Youth Activities presented by Orange County 4-H and the Master Gardener Volunteers can be found in the Exploration Garden, underneath the pavilion. Activities include:
- Painting rocks
- Planting a Tomato Seed
- Pipe Cleaner Art
- Coloring Pages
- A “Little Free Garden” Library
- Orange County Library System will be tabling
Vendors:
We are excited to be inviting new faces for this year’s Festival. Here is our 2026 vendor lineup:
Plant/Craft Vendors:
- 3 Seasons Growers
- A Pot Ahead Nursery
- Adkins Orchids
- Aristocut Lawn and Garden Services, Inc.
- As Your Garden Grows
- Bromeliads Galore
- Calusa Palms Nursery
- Central Florida Fruit Society
- Deerpark Concrete
- Driftwood Artz
- Easy to Grow
- Ecofruits of Florida
- EverOak Farm
- Four Acres Farms
- Froot Farms
- Fruit of Labor
- Grassroots Nursery
- Green’s Nursery
- Herzupo Artful Creations
- HPK Farms
- Just Plumerias
- Kokehana by Cony
- Limpkin Nation
- Little Hearts Krafts
- MAD Plants
- MisterLandscaper ** (Display in Exhibit Hall)
- MAD Plants
- My Crazy Plant Life
- McRory’s Bromeliads
- Nehrling Gardens
- O-town Compost
- Orange Blossom Beekeepers Association
- Revival Gardening
- Rooted Woodworking
- Vivacqua Glass Works
- Wallace Nursery
Food Vendors
Non-Profit Organizations
- 4-H Club – Silent Shooters Archery Club
- 4-H Club – Horticulture
- Florida School of Holistic Living
- Orange County Environmental Protection Division
- Orange County Master Gardeners– Mobile Plant Clinic & pH testing ($2/sample)
- Orange County Utilities – Water
- Orange County Library System
- OUC – The Reliable One *
- USDA & FDACS
*Platinum Sponsor
**Silver Sponsor
All vendor spots are filled, but if you’d like to join out waitlist or be considered for next year, please send us an email at: ocmgvvendors@gmail.com.
We will update this blog as the event approaches, so stay tuned for updates on vendors, speakers, food trucks, and activities as the event approaches.
We can’t wait to see you at the 2026 Garden Festival & Plant Sale!
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