Palm Coast, FL (April 17, 2021) – You know the saying, “April showers, bring May flowers”, and there were certainly plenty of both on Saturday as The Garden Club at Palm Coast held their 8th Annual Spring Festival and Plant Sale.
Staged at the Palm Coast Arts Foundation, hearty gardeners were greeted by two dozen vendors on site with everything from low maintenance Florida friendly plants to experts ready to share their best practice knowledge from the Florida Native Plant Society.
Trekking through the muddy grounds after a torrential downpour early in the day, festival chair Denise Garcia was grateful for the exhibitors who stuck it out, as they were on hand to receive the business as shoppers continued to roll in throughout the day.
“We get wet and we just keep going. We were completely soaked this morning but we made the decision we were going to follow our weather app and if it says it’s going to stop raining, it will. The traffic has been nonstop.”
“We have some wonderful vendors, two very large plant vendors, an herb vendor, and the garden club is actually selling out of plants, and at the same time we have other groups selling crafts,” said Garcia, who begins planning for the next year’s event two months after the event wraps.
Under the PCAF’s big tent, Propagation Guild chair Jane Villa-Lobos oversaw the purchase of the tender new plants created from clippings and nurtured lovingly by the members. Starting with 400 plants Saturday morning, by mid-day less than 100 were left.
“Most of the plants we sell here are from our members and the propagation guild of the garden club,” shared Villa-Lobos. “As soon as the sun comes out, we get lots of people, so I think it’s been a huge success.”
Proceeds from the propagated plant sale benefit the club’s youth scholarship program for college students on an agricultural or environmental track.
Offering tips on care and growth, Will Orser from McCrory’s Bromeliads, stayed busy with brisk sales of the beautifully flowering plants. A crowd favorite, Orser said they love attending plant sales and shows, rain or shine.
“It’s neat to get out and see people, and a lot of people like these plants,” said Orser. “People like the bright colors, the bloom styles are very unique, and they cheer up an area. It’s nice to put someone who likes plants together with a nice plant.”
For more information on The Garden Club at Palm Coast, visit www.gardenclubatpalmcoast.org.
