Calling all gardeners, garden enthusiasts, and everyone in between!

Garden Fest is returning for our fifth year with a week’s worth of programming at the Grayson branch.

Our garden-themed programming includes topics like birding, heritage seeds, monarch butterflies, beekeeping, and native Georgia plants.

Garden Fest is open to all ages and experience levels.

Our Guest Presenters include:

Angela Wilbanks from Sunnie’s Bees
Carol Hassell: Georgia Piedmont Land Trust & Master Gardener
Terry Dempsey: Georgia Piedmont Land Trust
Margaret Molyson: Master Gardener Extension Volunteer
Lindsey Mangham from Birds Georgia
Abby Lockhart: Gwinnett Master Gardener
Amy Mock: Gwinnett Master Gardener
Lisa Klein with the UGA Cooperative Extension
Susan Meyers from Monarchs Across GA, Environmental Education Alliance
Dolores Romero-Stewart: Master Gardener & Master Naturalist

Event Schedule:

Tuesday, April 9th

12:00-1:00pm: A Year in the Bee Yard

Interested in learning all about bees? Guest Speaker Angela Willbanks of Sunnie's Bees will share insider knowledge on the monthly workings of a hive and the products you get from the hive. Come see what all the buzz is about.

Speaker - Angela Wilbanks
Sunnie's Bees

1:00-1:45pm: Create Container Gardens for Medicinal Herbs & Nutritive Plants

Herbs flourish beautifully in containers and pots in sunny Georgia. Many of them are perennial and come back every year. Learn about the health affirming properties of a dozen medicinal herbs and how to pot them for beautiful container gardens year-round. Demonstration and free make and take potting session.

Speaker - Rebekah Berger
Staff Presenter

2:00-2:45pm: Heirloom Plants: Seeds and More from Yesterday to Food for Tomorrow

What’s an heirloom seed? Learn what the term “heirloom” means, whether it should help you plan your garden, and what else it applies to.

Speaker - Carol Hassell
Georgia Piedmont Land Trust

3:00-3:45pm: Twelve Deer Resistant Keystone Perennials

A keystone species plant is essential to the lifecycle of another organism, in this case, pollinators. We will discuss the benefits, uses, and growing conditions of twelve important herbaceous perennials for your garden. Some seedlings will be provided.

Speaker - Margaret Molyson
Master Gardener

4:00-4:45pm: Birds of Georgia

Birds can be hard to miss but are you ready to soar into bird watching? Join Master Birder, Lindsey Mangham to learn about backyard birds of Georgia.

Speaker - Lindsey Mangham
Birds Georgia

5:00-6:00pm: Seed Swap & Gardening with UGA Extension

Join us for an opportunity to talk to Master Gardeners from the UGA Extension Office who can answer your gardening questions and will exchange seeds!

Speaker - Dolores Romero-Stewart
Master Gardener & Master Naturalist

Wednesday, April 10th

12:00-1:45pm: Build a Bluebird House

Build a bluebird house to have a good neighbor! You and your fellow attendees will learn about the proper design and function of a Bluebird House and then you'll get your hands dirty (well, not THAT dirty) when you actually build one right then and there. Come join us for a fun and informative class. We will be using recycled Western Red Cedar.

Speaker - Terry Dempsey 
Georgia Piedmont Land Trust

2:00-2:45pm: Gardening for Pollinators

Invite butterflies and other pollinators to your garden by providing habitat (a place to call home) and forage (continuous nectar and pollen sources)

Speaker - Susan Meyers
Monarchs Across Georgia Committee
Environmental Education Alliance

3:00-3:45pm: Native Plants of Georgia

Have you heard about native plants but don't know what they are or even what plants are native to Georgia? Join this session to learn what native plants are, why we care about them, and different plants you can add to your yard to benefit pollinators and the environment"

Speaker - Sydney Pearlstein
Staff Presenter

4:00-4:45pm: Back Garden Bad Guys

Join this session to discuss critters you definitely don't want in your garden (and tips on how to get rid of them) and which ones you might learn are not such bad guys after all!

Speaker - Sara Whitaker
Staff Presenter

5:00-6:00pm: More More More Reproducing Your Favorite Plants

Do you want to make more of your favorite plants using age old techniques? Join us as we explore easy and inexpensive ways to reproduce your favorite plants!

Speaker - Abby Lockhart & Amy Mock
Gwinnett Master Gardeners

Thursday, April 11th

12:00-1:00pm: Houseplants 101

Why limit your garden to the outdoors? With houseplants, you can experience the joy of nature indoors, year-round! Join us for a fun introduction to houseplants and learn about the best plants for beginners, common tips and tricks, and the many benefits of indoor gardening!

Speaker - Angela Moore 
Staff Presenter

1:00-1:45pm: After the Harvest: Drying and Using Your Herbs

Join us as we cover the basics of post-harvest herb care: learn how to dry, store, and use your herbs in a simple and practical way!

Speaker - April Alexander & Megan
McClinton
Staff Presenters

2:00-2:45pm: One Stroke Flower Painting

Grow your art skills with us by learning how to paint a variety of simple flowers with live, step-by-step demonstrations. Explore how to care for their real-life counterparts and discover some fun facts. Then, harvest your newly acquired skills to create your own painted bouquet to take home. Watch your creativity bloom! (Space and Supplies are limited). Ages 15+

Speaker - Sarah Skelley & Michelle DeGaetano
Staff Presenters

3:00-3:45pm: Container Gardens, Pretty and Productive

Whether you live in a high-rise condo or have a spacious backyard, container gardening is a fantastic alternative to in ground gardening.  Thanks to their size and portability, container gardens are usually more manageable than growing in the ground. They allow for greater control of the growing conditions as it’s easier to address soil structure, sun needs, fertilizer, and water needs of specific plants.  From a warm climate and miss growing tropicals?  Grow them! 

Speaker - Lisa Klein  
UGA Cooperative Extension Staff

4:00- 4:45pm: How to Grow A Wildflower Patch

Are you tired of cutting your grass every week? Would you like more color in your yard by growing wildflowers for butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds? Consider growing a wildflower meadow! This program will explain how to create one with step-by-step instructions, as well as providing great ideas for wildflower seeds to plant!

Speaker - Stacey Moura 
Staff Presenter

5:00- 6:00pm: Tea Time & Botanical Trivia Event

Join Waz, our British tea master, to enjoy a selection of relaxing delicious teas, some cookies, & play a fun botanical trivia game"

Speaker - Waz Armstrong
Staff Presenter

Date: April 9-11, 2024

Location: Gwinnett County Public Library, Grayson Branch - 700 Grayson Pkwy, Grayson, GA 30017

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