Union County – Spring has sprung, and just in time for your second round of blossoms, the Master Gardeners of Union County invite the public to the Union County Spring Garden Fair and Plant Sale. Taking place on Sunday, May 20 from 12pm to 5pm the Fair is a great place to learn new gardening skills and purchase a variety of old favorites and new discoveries.
“Not only is the Spring Garden Fair and Plant Sale a great place to pick up new blossoms for your home and garden,” said Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella, “It is the perfect opportunity for anyone with an interest in gardening to learn more about the Master Gardeners and the positive impact they have on our community.”
New Jersey Master Gardeners are trained volunteers who assist the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station Cooperative Extension in its mission to deliver horticulture programs and information to the general public. This year, the Union County Master Gardeners are celebrating 24 years of volunteer community service.
The Spring Garden Fair and Plant sale is an annual fund-raising event that helps fund the community projects of the Master Gardeners. This year marks the 22nd anniversary of the event, which has been chaired by Scotch Plains Master Gardener, Joanne Kreuger since 1991.
As part of the Garden Fair, the Master Gardeners will be selling an array of flowers, herbs, hanging baskets, house plants and vegetable seedlings, including a limited amount of Ramapo Tomato plants; an heirloom tomato that until recently had all but disappeared from New Jersey.
The Master Gardeners will also be hosting lectures on square-foot gardening, rain barrels and home composting and will be giving guided tours of the Demonstration Garden complex including their vegetable and herb gardens.
Other Garden Fair highlights include:
- Free children’s activities.
- Free Helpline clinic and Rutgers information fact sheets.
- Union County Division of Mosquito Control Supervisors on site to answer questions.
- 4-H Master Tree Stewards with children’s activity and display.
- Rutgers Soil test kits for sale.
- “The Cupcake Café” home-baked goods.
- Arts & crafts table.
- Gardening “Odds & Ends” sale table.
- Used gardening books and magazines sale.
The Spring Garden Fair is located at the Demonstration Garden by the Trailside Nature and Science Center, at the corner of New Providence Road and Coles Avenue in Mountainside. A free parking lot is located at the site. Additional free parking is available at the nearby Loop playground area. For maps and directions, visitwww.ucnj.org/parks. The Garden Fair will take place rain or shine and no dogs will be permitted.
Visitors who plan to purchase plants are advised to bring a small wagon for ease of conveyance.
For more information about the Spring Garden Fair and Plant Sale or any Master Gardener programs contact Lynne Orlofsky at the Extension office in Westfield at 908-654-9854 or visit www.mastergardeners-uc.org.
Anyone with an interest in gardening and a commitment to volunteer service can become a Master Gardener. No previous education or training in horticulture is required.
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For more information on any Union County press release, please contact Sebastian D’Elia, Communications Director for the County of Union, or a designee listed at the top of this press release. Please join the County of Union online at www.ucnj.org, on Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter athttp://twitter.com/countyofunionnj.
“Rutgers Cooperative Extension is an equal opportunity program provider and employer. Contact your local Extension Office for information regarding special needs or accommodations. Contact the State Extension Director’s Office if you have concerns related to discrimination, 732-932-5000, ext. 584.”