After a winter with icicles, sleet and freezing temperatures, gardens are in need of some revitalization and rejuvenation. The Northshore Garden Show and Plant Sale will be held on March 14 from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and on March 15 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the St. Tammany Parish Fairgrounds, 1304 Columbia St. in Covington. Hours on Friday have been extended this year so working gardeners can attend.
“The purpose of our Garden Show and Plant Sale is to kick off the spring season by allowing local vendors to display and sell a wide variety of plants and garden art and accessories,” said Ty Guidroz, chairman of the show along with Julie Deus. “We expect about 3,000 people to attend the sale where they can buy items for their gardens and landscape, receive horticultural education from LSU AgCenter experts and St. Tammany Master Gardeners. Proceeds from our sale go towards the Bobby Fletcher Scholarship fund, as well as many horticultural education projects throughout the Parish. Vendors will display plant materials such as gardenia, azalea, fruit trees and vegetables, too much to list. We will have a garden art market place where vendors will have bird houses, bird feeders, bird baths, wooden furniture plus much more.”
Committee members include Susie Andres, Peggy Goertz, Pam Peltier, Rodney Cross, Wes Goostrey, Kappy Goodwin, Judy Wood, Cindy Manger, Barbara Moore, Lisann Cheaney, Eileen Gremillion, Dede Hanby, Chris Stellingworth, Anne Ciggali, Debi Schoen, Lyn Monteleone, Donna Dicahrry, Kathleen Guidry, Susan L’Hoste, Linda Deslatte, Glenda Nanz, Karla Partridge, Bob Doolittle, Kay Hanson and Pete Hanson.
Gardening and landscaping enthusiasts also will find camellias; hardwood trees; ferns; hanging baskets; herbs; ornamental flowers, both perennials and annuals; vegetable plants such as tomatoes, bell pepper, squash and mirlitons; blueberry bushes; exotic plants; tropical plants; ceramic pots; wooden swings and outdoor furniture; yard art; pine straw and pine straw rakes.
There will be a Plant Corral available free of charge, where shoppers can leave their purchases until they are ready to leave. Plan to bring plant-related problems to plant pathologist Nick Singh, “the Plant Doctor.” There also will be a booth sponsored by the Master Gardeners, with activities for children.
On March 14, speakers at the Garden Show will include Mariah Brock, associate county agent for St. John Parish, speaking at 10 a.m. about Conventional and Organic Insect Control for the Home Gardener; Allen Owings, LSU AgCenter professor/director of the Hammond Research Station presenting 20 Considerations for 2014 Garden/Landscape at noon; Scotty May, county agent for Washington Parish speaking about Watermelons in the Home Garden at 2 p.m.; and Dan Gill, LSU AgCenter consumer horticulturalist talking about Ornamental Grasses for Your Landscape at 4 p.m.
On March 15, presentations will include Chefs Nealy and Keith Frentz of Lola Restaurant doing a cooking demonstration at 10 a.m.; plant breeder Buddy Lee speaking about Southern Living Plant Varieties at noon; and Ron Strahan, LSU AgCenter professor talking about Weed Control and Plant Care at 2 p.m.
St. Tammany Parish Master Gardeners will present Table Talks about Culinary Herbs, Old Garden Roses and Birdscaping on March 14. Topics on Saturday
March 15 will include Softwood Propagation, Birdscaping and Steps to Become a Master Gardener.
Admission to the Northshore Garden and Plant Sale is $5 and includes free parking. For information, call 875.2635. Last year, about 2,500 people attended the event.
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