The weather may not cooperate with all the rain we’ve been receiving, and even more is predicted in the extended forecast, but the annual Herb & Garden Faire is on the calendar for this weekend at the Landis Valley Museum near Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
The herb fair takes place on Friday May 8th and Saturday May 9th, 2009. The “gate” opens at 9am and closes at 5pm on both days. This event is described as the biggest plant sale on the East Coast and while I can’t confirm that billing, it is one of my favorite gardening events, and one that I look forward to each year.
Heirlooms, Rare Plants, and Flowers for Sale
If you’re looking for heirloom vegetable transplants, you’ll find plenty of them available for sale at the Herb and Garden Fair. In addition there are other rare and unusual plants, tropicals, culinary and medicinal herbs, annual and perennial flowers, antique roses, bonsai, cacti, and even plants to stock your pond or water garden!
Among my favorite vendors are the students from Manheim Central High School’s Future Farmers of America who will be on hand to sell their popular heirloom tomato plants. Happy Cat Farm is another vendor that I seek out for their selection of heirloom peppers, and Landis Valley’s own Heirloom Seed Project Marketplace offers a variety of seeds, transplants, and even fruit trees.
Other interesting vendors include; the Homegrown Edible Landscaping Company, Spring Thyme Nursery, Flowers Forever, the Happy Jalapeno, Sunny Sprouts Greenhouse, Cloverleaf Herb Farm, and Butterfly Oasis. You can download the event flyer for a complete listing of participating vendors.
A Great Place to Find that Perfect Mother’s Day Gift
This is a good opportunity for local gardeners and shoppers to locate that perfect Mother’s Day gift. Choose from hanging baskets, embroidery, candles, plant holders, jewelry, or handmade crafts such as paintings, pottery, herbal products, hand carved flowers, and more.
The Lancaster County Master Gardeners will host a display and provide visitors with an opportunity to ask questions and collect useful gardening information. Lunch and snacks will be available on the grounds or you can bring your own, the Weathervane, Landis Valley Museum’s store will also be open during the event.
The Herb & Garden Faire will go on, rain or shine, but I’m hoping for at least a short break in the precipitation… not that I’m ever going to complain about much needed rainfall for the garden.