Bring On Summer! – FloraFest Brings Warm Weather to Charlotte County

Did the April freeze almost do you in?  Do you need some rejuvenation?  Come to FloraFest on April 30, listen to scintillating lectures, and purchase some plants to get your garden in gear.  The Charlotte County Master Gardeners annual FloraFest will take place on Saturday, April 30, at the extension office in Charlotte Court House from 8:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.  Plants, lectures and even a bite to eat will be available. FloraFest should get everyone involved in spring and headed toward summer.

The free lectures are always a popular part of FloraFest.  “All About Lavender” will be the first lecture at 9:00 a.m.  Bonnie Swanson, of Evergreen Lavender Farm, will discuss the culinary, health, beauty and decorative qualities of the lavender plant.  Katie Martin, from the Department of Virginia Game and Inland Fisheries, will present “The American Black Bear” at 10:00 a.m. The presentation will include the habitat and habits of the black bear as it relates to Southside Virginia.

April 30 is an ideal time to plant most of the plants available at FloraFest.  There will be perennials, annuals, shrubs, roses, herbs and vegetables.  Among the perennials there will be peonies, blackberry lilies, Oriental lilies, Siberian iris, flag iris, hellebores, Dutchman’s britches, Solomon’s seal, liriope, Russian sage, daisies, sedum, autumn aster, bee balm, bell flowers, obedient plant, hostas, sun drops and step-on ground cover.  Shrubs will include snow ball, beauty berry, fothergilla, forsythia, lilac, bridal wreath, winter jasmine and rose of Sharon.  There will be basil, parsley and mints and other herbs. Of course there will be tomatoes and peppers as well as other vegetables.  One may want to wait a week or so before planting vegetables and annuals.

A raffle and food will also be available.  Raffle tickets are only one dollar.  The raffle items include a hand-made wooden gathering tray, a hand-woven basket and pottery.  The Southside Virginia Herb Society will sell sandwiches and snacks, herb plants, herbal vinegars and herbal booklets at Village Presbyterian Church from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.

Survey your garden, review the flower catalogues, dream about spring and summer, imagine your garden enhanced by purchases from FloraFest.  Propagated and grown by our local Charlotte County master gardeners, these plants will have a great chance for success in area gardens.  Come on out on April 30 and join the excitement of FloraFest, 8:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m., rain or shine.  Take a giant step toward the long-awaited summer, learn from the lectures, buy local, purchase plants at FloraFest.  Remember, too, that May 8 is Mother’s Day.   Proceeds from FloraFest fund scholarships and grants for students from Charlotte County.