FOR RELEASE: January 26, 2003

Daniel F. Culbert,  County Extension Director

GET READY FOR GARDENFEST

  Last year the Indian River Garden Club introduced what I hope will grow into the premier horticultural event of the Treasure Coast - Gardenfest!  This year’s second edition will be held next weekend - under the oaks - at Riverside Park in Vero Beach.

Many people are familiar with Royal Palm Park in Vero Beach, the majestic oaks of Victory Blvd, and have noticed a beautiful Live oak that was recently added to Memorial Island.  The Garden Club is responsible for these plantings and much more.  They have played a vital role in raising the funds to beautify our area.   Proceeds from Gardenfest! will be used to continue the Garden Club’s local beautification projects.

While I am sure there will be lots of publicity about this event, I’d like to give my inside scoop, and offer a few helpful references that can make your visit a more enjoyable experience.  There will be food, children’s activities, speakers, a raffle and many vendors of garden related products and services.  Selected participants will show unique items not normally available from local retailers.  The goal is to provide Gardenfest! visitors with a total garden experience - everything you need to plan, plant and maintain your landscape.

Tropical Plants for your Garden

According to the planning committee, there will be a large variety of tropical and sub-tropical plants available at Gardenfest!  In the following paragraphs I will list some references that will be helpful to review before Gardenfest!

If you don’t have a favorite comprehensive plant reference book, there will be vendors you can visit at Gardenfest!  If you already have one, bring it with you so that you can know that your new garden acquisition will fit into your Florida Yard.  In the meantime, a UF bulletin recently compiled by Miami-Dade Extension Agents may do the trick.  Low Maintenance Landscape Plants for South Florida [http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/EP107 , a 49 page document] lists size, light requirements, salt tolerance, and several other comments on selected plants.  It can help you find the right place for the right plant.

Nothing says tropics better than orchids - and our UF Bulletin is where to start: Tips on Growing Orchids in Florida  [http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/EP017 ]. The barrier island in our area is called Orchid Island for the native butterfly orchids found growing as air plants on oaks in a few undeveloped locations. The orchids at Gardenfest! will be the kinds that have been hybridized and selected for their durability and beauty on the home environment.  The American Orchid Society http://orchidweb.org/ ] and the Vero Beach Orchid Society are good sources of  information on these plants [contact Ron Easton, President, 567-0917 ]

Bamboo can be grown as a food [see http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MV015], and also can be used as a building material. A good example of bamboo timber was recently dedicated at McKee Botanical Garden [ http://www.mckeegarden.org/ ].  The landscape specimens available at Gardenfest! will be ornamental bamboos - we’ve generally found that clumpers are better than running type bamboo plants.  Make contact with the Florida Caribbean Chapter of the American Bamboo Society  http://www.tropicalbamboo.org/  To find out their suggestions on which bamboos will work here.

Bromeliads continue to interest local gardeners.  These pineapple relatives come in many sizes and colors, and are generally tolerant of drought conditions.  A good basic reference on their local selection and culture is our UF bulletin Bromeliads [ http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG272 ].  The local Chapter of Bromeliad enthusiasts is in Melbourne; the Treasure Coast Bromeliad Society can be contacted through Cassandra Biglin at WiseNurse@aol.com

Heirloom roses are usually low maintenance plants that have been out of commerce for some time, but tend to be more pest resistant.  They are discussed in the UF Extension bulletin, Rose Culture [ http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG036 ].  The American Rose Society also has a lot of rosy references available [on-line at http://www.ars.org/ ]  And,  the local Vero Beach Rose Society may give you inspiration when you encounter thorny questions - contact President Rip Wieler, at 234-4111.

Ferns will work well in many shady spots in area landscapes and many are well adapted as house plants.   A review of  the UF Extension Bulletin, Ferns [http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG032 ] will help before you to don’t buy an inappropriate species for your home or landscape. 

Aquatic Gardening is a growing rage in our area.  Start your background review with the UF Bulletin,  An Introduction to Aquascaping [ http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/UW052.  You will find there are many innovations to consider not only in pond design and containers, but also in the variety of plants that are now available.

Gardenfest will not be complete without some interesting and informative speakers.  I am honored to be asked back again to make a presentation on “What’s hot in the Landscape.” It will be based on the results of review of  the kinds of questions that are being presented to our Master Gardener volunteers.   Thanks to rookie Master Gardener Alan Morton for compiling this summary.  The times and dates of all the speakers can be found on the Gardenfest! website,   http://www.gardenclubofirc.org/gardenfest.htm

If you need additional information on the plants to be shown at Gardenfest!,  visit our website at http://indian.ifas.ufl.edu, or call or stop by our office.  For those with other questions about Florida Yards, our office holds Master Gardener Clinic during office hours at the Extension office (1028 20th Place, Suite D, Vero Beach), Wednesday morning at the North County Library in Sebastian, and the second and fourth Saturday of the month at the ELC.   Our phone number is 770-5030, and you can e-mail us at indian@ifas.ufl.edu .

BACK