GardenFest slated Sept. 30 at The Botanic Garden at OSU
Thursday, September 21, 2017
With fall weather just around the corner, it is a great time to make your way out to The Botanic Garden at Oklahoma State University.
The 16th annual GardenFest is slated Sept. 30, and this year promises to be the best yet, said Laura Payne, volunteer coordinator for The Botanic Garden at OSU. Activities will begin at 10 a.m.
“With the cooler-than-normal temperatures we experienced this summer, the garden is looking better than ever,” Payne said. “GardenFest will feature a day of learning opportunities, fun activities for children, live music and food trucks. It’s a great day for all ages.”
Bruce Dunn, associate professor in OSU’s Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, will be on hand from 10:15 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. to give a tour of the Proven Winners and Garden Debut plants in the trial plots. David Hillock, OSU Cooperative Extension consumer horticulturist, will be giving a tour of The Botanic Garden from 11:15 a.m. to noon. In addition, Mike Miller with Pond Pro Shop, will talk about water garden components from 12:15 p.m. to 1 p.m.
There will be children’s crafts, along with balloon sculpting on the Event Lawn. Another fun activity planned during GardenFest is the Jack-O-Lantern Jog for OSU employees and their families. Upon completion of the family friendly one-mile run/walk/jog, participants are invited to take a pumpkin and paint it. Registration is $7 and includes a t-shirt for the first 200 registrants. For more information, contact Tabi Deal at the OSU Seretean Wellness Center at 405-744-2354 or tabi.deal@okstate.edu.
There will be several informational booths set up on the Event Lawn, including the Payne County Master Gardeners Plant ID and Diagnostics booth.
“We’ll also have some consumer booths available with homemade soaps and body butter, yard art, pottery, jewelry and tea drinks,” Payne said. “The Stillwater Local Homebrew Club also will have a booth. We’re excited to offer several live music performances, including the Stillwater High School Choir, Tanner Bryan and the Williamson Family Band.”
In addition to all the fun and educational activities, attendees will have an opportunity to purchase mums, pumpkins and straw bales. The plant sale will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“These plants will make a great addition to your fall landscape,” Payne said. “Proceeds help us continue to provide events and improvements to the garden.”
For more information about GardenFest, please contact Payne at laura.payne@okstate.edu or visit The Botanic Garden at OSU’s website at botanicgarden@okstate.edu. You also can follow the garden on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheBotanicGarden.
“If you haven’t been to the garden for a while, or if you’ve never been, GardenFest is a great opportunity to come visit,” Payne said. “You’ll probably get some great ideas for your own landscape, too.”