The Literary Gardener – April 2015

“And the Spring arose on the garden fair,
Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;
And each flower and herb on Earth’s dark breast
Rose from the dreams of its wintry rest.”
~Percy Shelley (1792-1822)

For thousands of local gardeners, spring does not merely arise but leaps forth the minute they step into the Spring Garden Fair, held annually the first weekend of May. The sights and smells of thousands of colorful plants certainly excite my senses and soul. Not only do I leave with flowers, vegetables, and herbs to tend in my garden, I come away invigorated to re-establish my connection to the earth. To me, our Spring Garden Fair is a rite of passage from the dreams of wintry rest to the joyful activity of a new growing season.

The 36th Annual Spring Garden Fair, hosted by the Jackson County Master Gardeners, will take place from 9:00am-5:00pm on Saturday, May 2 and from 10:00am-4:00pm on Sunday, May 3 at the Expo in Central Point. Admission is $3, free for children 15 and under. The arena will be brimming with diverse edible and ornamental plants acclimated to thrive in Southern Oregon. There will be more than 150 vendors, exhibitors, and booths manned by garden-related experts. Fairgoers can also attend brief demonstration classes, free of charge, on a variety of gardening topics.

By now, the Spring Garden Fair is a familiar event to many folks; however, what is less well-known is the months-long preparation for the fair, undertaken by over 100 Master Gardener volunteers. It all begins in January when a new class begins meeting weekly at the OSU Extension to study the art and science of gardening in the Rogue Valley: basic botany, soils and fertilizers, water quality, fundamental concepts of entomology, and plant diseases, just to name a few topics. Classes are led by Rhianna Simes, OSU Urban Horticulture Coordinator for Jackson County, as well as horticultural experts throughout the state.

Soon after classes start, Master Gardener trainees begin the practicum where they are able to “get their hands dirty” as they apply concepts they are learning to actual growing conditions. These experiences are orchestrated by Jane Moyer and Virginia Brown. The practicum is where students work in small groups under the mentorship of 30 seasoned Master Gardeners to grow the plants that will be available to fair-goers in Master Gardener booths.

As of this writing, more than two-thirds of the seeds that will grow into plants at the fair have been sown, with the prop house full of seedlings, many of which are ready for transplanting. Over the next several weeks, the greenhouse will be transformed from an empty space to a place “fairly” bursting with greenery. This is the time I love to visit the greenhouse to breathe in one of my very favorite aromas–the earthy scent of tomato plants.

Meanwhile, the Spring Garden Fair committee, with veteran Master Gardener Victor Chieco at the helm, is busy organizing vendor booths, class schedules, and volunteer tasks to help the fair run smoothly. The end result of all these behind-the-scenes efforts is the Spring Garden Fair we know and look forward to each year. So, when Shelley tells us that spring arrives at the garden fair, we can thank Jackson County Master Gardener volunteers for making it happen! For more information about the Spring Garden Fair, visit the JCMGA website at www.jacksoncountymga.org.

Featured image is Jacksonville resident Kerry Hunter, working in the plant practicum.