Edison, Ford estates to host sale and symposium

The Edison and Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers will hold its annual “Grow Fort Myers” Plant Sale and Workshops, combined with the Orchid Symposium that was cancelled last fall, on April 7-8

April 7: Plant sale

Plant vendors will have plants available for sale from noon to 4 p.m.

The following vendors will have orchids and other plants available: Bello Tropicals, Florida Orchid House, Hang-a-Pot, Jim-N-I Orchids, Krull/Smith Orchids, OFE Orchid Supplies, Orchids Amore, Sierra Madre, SO Orchids, Sunland Orchids, and Tropiflora Plus, the Garden Shoppe will be open and stocked with a large selection of plants and trees, and wildflower seeds will also be available

There is no charge to attend the plant sale or the Garden Shoppe area Tours or admission to the museum and lab or riverside of the property are not included

April 8: Workshops, plant sale

The plant sale will continue from 9 a m to 4 p m , along with workshops Attendees can also learn about the new wildflower garden. There is no charge to attend the sale; however, a ticket is required for the workshops The tickets are $20 for members or $25 for non-members Tours or admission to the museum and lab or riverside of the property are not included

The schedule for the workshops is as follows:

∫ “Growing Orchids as Houseplants” from 10 to 10:45 a m with orchid specialist Michael Spelta

∫ “Unraveling the Mysteries of Orchid

Potting” from 11 to 11:45 a m with Stan Grigiski, of the Southwest Florida Orchid Society

∫ “Wildflower Talk & Stroll” from noon to 1 p m with Debbie Hughes, horticulture director for the Edison and Ford Winter Estates

∫ “Introduction to Orchids” from 1 to 1:45 p.m. with Mickey Carnell, of Blue Pagoda Orchids

∫ “Growing Orchids from Seedlings” from 2 to 2:45 p m with Jim Davison, of Jim-N-I Orchids

∫ “Benign Neglect of Orchids” from 3 to 3:45 p m with Robert Riefer, of the University of Florida

Attendees can also enter to win a rare and endangered, native Vanilla dilloniana orchid The suggested donation for each raf- fle ticket is $5 The winner will be drawn at the end of the event on April 8

“With the help of a grant from the Florida Wildflower Foundation, we started a wildflower garden behind the laboratory, where Thomas Edison once grew rows and rows of Goldenrod,” Hughes said “Visitors will be able to stroll through the wildflower garden and learn about the native plants.”

Food and beverage vendors will have refreshments available for purchase on April 8

Attendees are encouraged to bring a garden cart, as only a limited number will be available

For more information or tickets, visit EdisonFord org

The Edison and Ford Winter Estates is at 2350 McGregor Blvd , Fort Myers