Upcoming Garden Fest will offer tours, classes

CONTRIBUTED REPORT

The Goochland – Powhatan Master Gardeners Association (GPMGA) will hold its 17th annual Spring Garden Festival from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 29 at Reynolds Community College, 1851 Dickinson Road, Goochland. This annual family-friendly event is a celebration of all things related to gardening and is held in cooperation with Reynolds Community College and the Virginia Cooperative Extension.

The much-loved GPMGA plant sale will feature plants selected and grown by the master gardener volunteers because they are suited to Central Virginia gardens. These plants are sold at great prices as a fundraiser to help the volunteers in their community work with the Virginia Cooperative Extension. During the festival, attendees are also welcome to visit the Ask the Master Gardener station for gardening help, or shop the festivals’ gardening and arts-related vendor booths. The festival will also include a food truck with food for purchase, a band and plants grown by the students in the

Reynolds horticulture program. Plenty of free parking is available in the Reynolds Community College parking lot.

For a small registration fee, attendees can also increase their gardening knowledge through classes, workshops and tours offered throughout the day. Examples of class topics include propagating native plants, landscape design for small gardens, vegetable gardening, native shrubs for wildlife, and exploring butterflies. Those who like to learn by doing can take advantage of hands-on workshops on building a mosaicdecorated pot, cultivating a mushroom log or creating their own floral tiara. Finally, for those who prefer observing while learning, tours of the college’s gardens will be held on topics such as herb garden design, rain garden design and the way a landscape design matures over time.

Online registration for these educational opportunities is available at http:// www.gpmga.org or by contacting the Goochland Cooperative Extension Office at (804) 556-5841.