May 8 Column: Garden Expo
If you garden in the Inland Northwest, here are the four words you’ve been longing to hear: Garden Expo is back!
The garden event that we’ve all been waiting for after two very long years is back on track. It will return on Saturday, May 14 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. This is a FREE event that features over 250 garden-related vendors, free seminars and demonstrations, and free parking. And this is the Garden Expo’s 21st year. That’s the topic of my garden column, and you can read all about it in today’s edition of The Spokesman-Review. Expo chock full of plants and experts back after pandemic hiatus. Or you can read the text of my column underneath the video below.
The Garden Expo will be held at Spokane Community College and is put on by the Inland Empire Gardeners. It is always so well-organized and a fun day all around. What’s particularly exciting is that Ciscoe Morris — the Pacific Northwest’s favorite garden guru — will be at this event. you will find him in the auditorium at 2:30 p.m. Ciscoe is daring gardeners to stump him with their trickiest questions! Afterwards, he’ll be signing copies of his latest book, “Oh La La! Homegrown Stories, Helpful Tips, and Garden Wisdom.”
In this week’s video, I assemble and plant up my GreenStalk Vertical Garden. Some of you may recall that I first grew veggies, flowers and strawberries in it last year, right? Well, I loved it so much and was so impressed with it that I’m back at it again this year.
Have you heard about GreenStalk Vertical Planters and been curious about them? I can say firsthand that they are very well-made and useful. Also, they have a Mother’s Day sale going on right now (through tomorrow, May 9). Be sure to visit their website. If you decide to order one, be sure to use the code SUSAN at check-out to get an additional $10 off any order of $75 or more. Every little bit helps, right?
Here’s my video:
And here’s my garden column:
by Susan Mulvihill
Gardeners, rejoice! One of the Inland Northwest’s most highly-anticipated events is back after a two-year, pandemic-induced hiatus. I’m referring to none other than the Garden Expo. It’s put on by the hardworking, community-minded members of The Inland Empire Gardeners. It takes place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 14.
Garden Expo features
The location is Spokane Community College, 1810 N. Greene St. The Garden Expo will feature over 250 garden-related businesses and organizations plus informative seminars and demonstrations. Food vendors will help you keep your energy level up. Best of all, admission and parking are free.
Attendees will want to head to the Lair auditorium at 2:30 p.m. for a very special event. Wildly-popular, Pacific Northwest gardening personality, Ciscoe Morris, will dare you to stump him with your questions. He’ll also be signing his newest book, “Oh, La La! Homegrown Stories, Helpful Tips and Garden Wisdom.”
The Garden Expo, which is in its 21st year, is a plant-shopper’s dream. There will be vegetable starts, flowers, succulents, alpine plants, natives, carnivorous plants, herbs, shrubs and aquatic plants. The show will host specialty nurseries from the Inland Northwest and Puget Sound.
New vendors at Garden Expo
The newest plant vendors are Alpine Gardens (Springfield, Ore.), Burkland Gardens (Mount Vernon, Wash.). Gray to Green Nursery (Coeur d’Alene) and Noname Nursery (Gaston, Ore.) are also new. Returning local vendors include Cedar Mountain Perennials, Desert Jewels Nursery, Elithorp Farm, Parks Place Plants, Pepper Paradise and Petal Pushers. Tall Grass Farms, and Trellis and Table will be on hand, too.
Looking to spruce up your yard a bit? You’ll find garden benches and art, birdhouses, stained glass, stepping stones, windchimes and signs.
Horticultural organizations at Garden Expo
Take advantage of the opportunity to speak with local horticultural organizations. These include Spokane County Master Gardeners, Inland Empire Dahlia Society, Friends of Manito, Inland Empire Water Garden & Koi Society, Spokane Orchid Society and Inland Northwest Garden Railroad Society.
“The Inland Empire Gardeners is a general interest garden club dedicated to promoting the joys of gardening in the community,” president ViAnn Meyer explained. “We consider the Garden Expo to be our most important community service project. It is managed completely by volunteers.”
The club’s 400-plus members have a wide range of gardening experience. They meet at 4 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month (except December) at Shadle Park Library, 2111 W. Wellesley Ave.
Susan Mulvihill is author of “The Vegetable Garden Pest Handbook.” She can be reached at Susan@SusansintheGarden.com. Watch this week’s video at youtube.com/susansinthegarden.
Garden Expo date and setting:
When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday [May 14].
Where: Spokane Community College, 1810 N. Greene St. Access free parking from Mission Ave. because Greene St. is closed due to construction of the North/South freeway.
More information: tieg.org/garden-expo-attend.
Garden Expo Demonstration Schedule
The following events will take place in the Spokane Community College Lair conference room:
10 a.m. – “Kokedama Art” with Samona Cranley, retired florist and Japanese floral culture enthusiast.
11 a.m. – “Mini Macrame Hanging Succulent” with Megan Monroe, owner of Crafted.
1 p.m. – “Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie Demonstration” with Sabrina Gonder of Get Healthy with Sabrina.
2 p.m. – “Hyper Local Cuisine” with Ricky Webster of Cooking with Chef Ricky.
Garden Expo Seminar Schedule
The following seminars will take place in the Spokane Community College auditorium:
10 a.m. – “The Story of Chickens” with Juan Juan Moses, Spokane Public Library’s Community Educator.
11:30 a.m. – “Gardening with Wildlife” with Sue Bockelman, The Plant Pro.
1 p.m. – “Gardening with Native Plants” with Robin O’Quinn, Eastern Washington University professor of biology.
2:30 p.m. – “Q&A Session: Stump the Chump” with Ciscoe Morris, gardening expert, author, and television and radio personality.