The Spring Garden EXPO on April 20-21 and the “In Our Own Back Yard” Garden Walk on June 9 are keeping the Hall County Master Gardeners busy this spring.
Biggest Two-day Plant Sale – April 20-21
Nearly 45 vendors, thousands of plants for purchase, free information seminars and four demonstration gardens make the Fifth Annual Spring Garden EXPO the hit of the season. Sponsored by the Hall County Master Gardeners and the Hall County Cooperative Extension, “Spring Garden EXPO” takes place on Friday and Saturday, April 20 and 21, at the Chicopee Woods Agricultural Center. The event is free.
Four demonstration gardens are being designed for this year’s EXPO – Children’s Garden, Shade Garden, Sun Garden and Native Plant Garden. Free demonstrations and workshops will take place on the hour and half-hour, from 9 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Topics include Growing Vegetables, Double Digging, Perennial Division, Composting, Propagation, Landscape Design, Daylilies and Creating a Backyard Habitat. There will be a hands-on children’s workshop as well.
Vendors will be showing the latest in gardening ideas and products, from specialty gardening tools and decorative concrete to water gardens and landscape services, as well as a variety of garden art and unique pottery.
In Our Own Back Yards – Garden Walk June 9
In a first-of-a-kind event, “In Our Own Back Yards” 2007 Garden Walk will pair area artists with six Master Gardeners showcase gardens in North Hall County. The one-day Garden Walk on Saturday, June 9, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. is presented by the Hall County Master Gardeners and the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension/Hall County. Tickets are $10 and include visits to all six gardens.
Each garden will offer special extras: two gardens will feature educational information, two will serve refreshments and two will be the sites of pass-along plants, free plants shared by Hall County Master Gardeners.
The artists, organized by nationally known painter Anne Brodie Hill of Gainesville, will also have their works for sale. Each artist has agreed to donate a painting that will be awarded by random drawing from entries at each garden.
Tickets will go on sale in late March through the Hall County Extension office and at various garden stores in Hall County. Tickets will also be on sale at the Spring Garden EXPO.
New Officers & Awards
The group has elected new officers: Dave Rusk has been elected president of the 150-member volunteer organization. Kathy Lovett was named vice president; Beverly Brinson is treasurer and Terri Strayhorn will serve as secretary.
Gainesville’s Melanie Clark, who received her Master Gardener Certification in 2006, was named Hall County Master Gardener Intern of the Year. She served as co-chair of the 2006 Fall Garden Symposium, which drew record attendance last October and featured speakers from across the Southeast.
Additionally, Rusk was recognized as Hall County Master Gardener of the Year for 2006 because of his work with the organization as a member, chairing the 2006 Spring and Fall Garden EXPOs and serving countless hours for the group.
