Perhaps the tulip has been a perennial favorite of yours, but
you’ve never knew when to plant the bulb. Or maybe you need to know
when that tomato is ripe for the picking.
The Betty Jane Monjar Garden Committee has sprung into action
with a symposium that has garden enthusiasts blooming with
excitement.
The Bradford Garden and Landscaping Symposium will be held April
21 at the First Presbyterian Church.
The classes, beginning at 8 a.m., will range from African
violets to zinnias and other perennials.
“Bradford has never been able to support a garden club,” said
committee member Rebecca Ryan. “This just may be our garden
club.”
Participants can take two classes in the morning and two in the
afternoon. In between, keynote speaker Mike Shadrack will talk and
a luncheon will be served.
Shadrack, a garden author and horticulturist, is a member of the
British Hostas and Hemerocallis Society and joined the American
Hosta Society in 1992.
The speakers will be Kay Bush, Gus Crissman, Tom Frair, Diamond
Geiger and Roberta Ward, Josie Girardi, Rob Gonzalez, Bob Harris,
Ann Ryan, Rebecca Ryan, Patricia Shinaberger and Ben Wentworth.
The symposium is designed for everyone from the novice gardener
to a master gardener.
“Or your average home gardener,” Ryan said.
Gauging from last year’s response, organizers are hoping this
year will go over just as well in its second year.
“The first year we were thrilled,” Ryan said.
Last year’s symposium drew about 100 participants.
“The feedback was excellent,” Lettie Torrey said.
“There was not one negative comment,” Molly Heron said, adding
people wanted the day to be longer or go to two days.
Registration and a continental breakfast is held from 8 to 8:20
a.m. The first morning session runs from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.; the
second from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m.
Shadrack will speak from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. and lunch will be
from 12:30 to 1:15 p.m.
The afternoon sessions run from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. and 2:45 to
3:45 p.m.
“Obviously some classes are more popular than others,” Heron
said, adding some, like the containers class, is back again from
last year.
Other classes include shade gardens, rock gardening, four season
gardening, lawn care and maintenance, flower arranging, garden
design, herb gardening and growing giant pumpkins, among
others.
The vendors include Graham’s Greenhouse, Frair Greenhaus, Times
Past, Hand Painted by Barbara Bloom, Water Garden Creations,
Julie’s Potting Shed, Carol Nichols Garden Statuary and Mary
Ross.
The organizers also hope this will bring more people interested
in gardening.
“We want to beautify our community,” Ryan said. “Gardening is
contagious.”
That, in turn, will reflect in the area.
“If the community looks nice, people will take care of their
community,” Ryan said.
The non-profit event will benefit the community in other ways,
too.
“Everything we do is for the community,” Heron said. Last year,
the proceeds from the symposium went to Bradford’s chapter of
Habitat for Humanity. They’ve also donated baskets for Main Street
and planted flowers around the Bradford Area Public Library.
“It all goes back into the community,” Heron said.
The organizers also sponsor the Betty Jane Monjar Garden Walk,
which has been held for the last dozen years. However, only the
symposium will be held this year. The next garden walk should be
held in 2008. The symposium and garden walks will be held in
alternating years.
“We are doing this to expose people to gardening,” Ryan
said.
