A growing event: Henrico County Master Gardeners to host annual Pollinator Festival and Spring Plant Sale June 7

The Henrico County Master Gardeners are set to hold their sixth annual Pollinator Festival and Spring Plant Sale at Deep Run Park and Recreation Center this Saturday, June 7.

From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., organizers plan to sell more than 3,200 plants, including flower arrangements, perennials, and herbs, at discounted prices. The Master Gardeners prepared various details and important information on their plant offerings for all visitors, thanks in part to information from the Missouri Botanical Garden and the North Carolina State University Extension office.

“We’ve prepared with signs, and all our information is in an 11-pound binder which grows every year!” said Nadine Oswald, who serves as president of the Henrico Master Gardeners and the co-chair of the event. One of her main goals for the event is to educate the public and raise awareness for the organization, gardening, and the beauty of plant life.

As such, outside of plant sales, the event showcases various exhibitors, with information and demonstrations from environmental organizations and state and local government agencies. To her, the community support and enthusiasm keep her going in an activity she has cultivated for her whole life.

“It takes tremendous amounts of hours. . . and soil,” Oswald said.

The event also will showcase various special speakers who will demonstrate their skills on a number of gardening-related topics, including ticks and growing orchids at home. Activities for all ages will be featured at the event, from children’s activities coordinated by Junior Master Gardeners to demonstrations of vermiculture.

The festival will offer live musical entertainment from the Cary Street Ramblers and food trucks.

As a part of the pollinator festival and plant sale, proceeds will support various programs countywide. This year, the funds raised will support two demonstration gardens, new garden initiatives, two scholarships to J. Sargeant Reynolds horticulture students, and plant clinics throughout Henrico.

During the past few weeks, volunteers and master gardeners have gathered to prepare for the upcoming event. From creating clear signage and arranging plants alphabetically by common name, to marking Virginia native plants to repotting plants, members of their organization have worked to ensure that the event runs smoothly.

“The community involvement is huge, we’ve seen around 1,000 people with about 95% participation in our organization in the past two years,” Kathy Johnston said, “We’ve put in a couple of hundred hours at least.”

Johnston, who serves as the co-chair of the event and the vice-president of programs, said that the community is the biggest thing she looks forward to each year.

“I get excited thinking about who I’m going to see, people who show pictures of the things they’ve grown in the past year; I’m a people person,” she said.

Cultivating a supportive community has helped the event grow significantly each year.

Donna Gaskins, a master gardener who serves as the chairman of their potting and training team, said that she gets excited to see people actively learn about gardening by visiting the exhibit rooms. In addition, she attributes the success of the event to the community at large.

“I want to thank the community for donating plants to our event, as well as to the Deep Run Rec Center for supporting us,” Gaskins said.

Henrico Master Gardeners are certified volunteers of the Henrico County Extension Office who act as educators in the community on all things gardening. Through the Virginia Cooperative Extension, they receive specialized training in environmental horticulture. With 12 hours of continuing education each year to maintain certification, they aim to help provide the most current and informed advice to their constituents, offering advice through community involvement.

Applications to become a Master Gardener are accepted in September and are available on the Henrico Cooperative Extension website.

Admission to the Pollinator Festival and Plant Sale is free for all guests. Deep Run Recreation Center is located at 9900 Ridgefield Parkway.

For details, click here.