Event will focus on gardening, crafts

Master gardeners will take questions and put on 'garden talks.'
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
CORTLAND -- Turning your attention these days to planting flowers, vegetables and everything else that grows? Arts and Crafts at the Garden is the place to learn, for veteran growers and novice gardeners alike.
The event will take place 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Trumbull County Agricultural and Family Education Center, 520 W. Main St.
Arts and Crafts at the Garden is sponsored by the Ohio State University Trumbull County Master Gardeners and Cortland Specialty Shoppes. There is no admission charge.
"This is the first time we've done this," said Jan Russell, an event co-chairwoman. "We're hoping this becomes an annual event."
The day isn't simply the master gardeners' idea, Russell explained. She credits Mayor Curt Moll as being the force behind the day by approaching shop owners in the city about getting involved.
"It translates to business for them," she noted.
Gardeners will have the opportunity to buy a wide variety of plants at bargain prices. The emphasis will be on perennials, but there will also be herbs, houseplants, trees and hanging baskets.
Expert advice
Master gardeners will be on hand to answer questions and talk about gardening in general. In addition, a series of 10-minute "garden talks" is scheduled. They are: 11 a.m., "Herb Garden Basics"; noon, "Getting Your Roses Ready to Bloom"; 1 p.m., "Understanding a Perennial Garden"; 2 p.m., "A Cutting Garden for Today's Landscape"; and 3 p.m., "Attracting Hummingbirds to Your Garden."
Russell said there will be about 20 craft vendors, including the creation of garden art to lace making. There will be jewelry, photography, handmade soaps and toiletries, fabric crafts, needlework, woodcrafts and tin items.
Visitors will be able to see an accomplished watercolorist painting flowers, a spinner spinning wool on a castle wheel and a weaver weaving on a four-harness loom.
Needle workers will be tatting with a shuttle and with a needle, doing needle felting with wool roving, as well as doing traditional wool rug hooking.
There will be demonstrations of Viking knitting, a wire jewelry technique and Russian needle punch.
"Actually, it's going to be a fun day," Russell said. "We just need sunshine."
About gardener program
Since its beginning eight years ago, 104 volunteers have gone through the Trumbull County Master Gardener program.
To become a master gardener, candidates must attend a 10-week training program and do 50 hours of volunteer service.
Russell said the masters do a lot of volunteering, including teaching soil preparation and potting in schools, and are seeking a government grant for an experimental garden for children.
yovich@vindy.com