Mt. Vernon Register-News

Local

January 17, 2010

Herb and garden show to kick off in February

TESA CULLI

tesa.culli@register-news.com

MT. VERNON — More than 35 vendors and three days worth of featured speakers have already signed up to participate in the 2010 Midwestern Herb and Garden Club, which will be held Feb. 12 through 14.

“It’s going to be bigger and better than ever,” Mt. Vernon Tourism Director Bonnie Jerdon said. “And going to the show is always the first sign of spring in Mt. Vernon.”

The annual event, which is held at the Times Square Mall and sponsored by the Herbs for Health and Fun Club and Mt. Vernon Convention and Tourism Bureau, will be featuring keynote speaker Mel Bartholomew, the originator and author of Square Foot Gardening.

According to information on Square Foot Gardening, it’s a simple system that adapts to all levels of experience, physical ability and geographical location, while growing all you want and need using only 20 percent of the space of a conventional garden. Getting started only requires to build a box, fill with a soil mix that is weed free and requires no tilling, then build a grid for planting.

“I’ve taken all the hard work out of gardening,” Barthlomew claimed. “No heavy digging, watering, weeding, thinning or over-flowering harvest. What is left is a productive, well-kept, colorful garden that looks more like a landscaped area than a typical single-row garden.”

Bartholomew will speak at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 13.

In addition to sessions featuring Bartholomew, a full education series will be offered on topics that include: Home Orchids by the Little Egypt Orchid Society; Tropical on the Plane, by Alexis Weigel, master gardener; A Look at Gourds Growing Tips, History and Craft Ideas by Karen and Paul Wilson of Wilson’s Gourds; Herbs for the Respiratory System by Sue Lukens Creasy of Legacy Herbs; the Emerald Ash Borer, by Weigel; Labyrinth, by Nina Peacock; Growing Specialty Peppers in Southern Illinois, by Jerry Jimenez of Rancho Bella Vista; Re-blooming Irises by Ernie Henson, master gardener of Rainbow Gardens; Floral Cards, Gift Tags and More by Sue Alikonis and Patricia McArdle of the herb club; Sand Gardens: Art and Nature in Miniature by Cleve Hayes of Puddingstone Farms; Hosting Blue Birds the Year Round by Steve Garr of Birds-I-View; Heirloom Vegetables by Ayers Greenhouses; Talk about Honey Bees and live demonstration by University of Illinois Extension Specialist Dr. Doug Jones; Woody Plant Seed Propagation by herb club member Mike DeVilbiss; Herbal Treats from Our Famous Cookbooks, by herb club members; Orioles and Other Birds That Don’t Eat Seeds by Regina Garr of Birds-I-View; and Ordering Plants and Seeds by Mail, by herb club member Lucy Baker.

Information about the show and how to be a vendor is available by contacting the Mt. Vernon Convention and Visitors Bureau at 800-252-5464.

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