Purdue News
Purdue News
This year's show, "Hands On Horticulture: The Backyard Garden," will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 19 and 20. It'll be in its usual spot behind the Horticulture Building on Marsteller Street, even though the Horticultural Greenhouses have been torn down.
"Parking will be different because of the construction of the food science building," said Kathy Jerger, publicity director for the show. "People can park in the Marsteller Garage and enter the show through the Horticulture Gardens on Marsteller Street."
The 84-year-old Hort Show is organized and orchestrated entirely by Hort Club students. They do all design and construction work, strategically placing semi loads of mulch and thousands of plants to show new plant varieties and landscaping techniques. All plants are for sale, and the proceeds pay for two scholarships, conferences and educational meetings for club members.
Mindy Bierly, plant sales chairwoman, said Hort Club members try to make Hort Show an event the public can attend to find helpful and economical gardening and landscaping information.
"We want people to be able to take something away that they can use, like how to improve their landscape," she said.
A new feature will be a horticulture therapy garden. Bierly said it will show ways to make a garden handicap-accessible so people using wheelchairs, crutches and canes can enjoy it. Raised beds and containers will be used, she said, to demonstrate how to have plants within easy reach of someone sitting down. Sensory plants, such as lamb's ear and scented geranium, also will be used to illustrate how vision-impaired people can enjoy a garden.
"I think it's easy for young, healthy people to take for granted being able to get down and work in the garden," Bierly said. "But if you have an impairment or are elderly and can't get around as well, there are inexpensive ways to improve your garden to make it more accessible."
Bierly will be giving a 10-minute talk on horticulture therapy gardens at 3 p.m. Sunday, with a question-and-answer period afterward.
There will be a number of seminars throughout the two days of the show. Each speaker will make a 10-minute presentation, and a question-and-answer session will follow. Handouts will be available. The schedule:
Saturday
Sunday
11 a.m. Easy Garden Design 11 a.m. Colorful Annuals
1 p.m. Growing Bulbs 1 p.m. Construction With Stones
2 p.m. Common Uses of Vines 2 p.m. Houseplants
3 p.m. Organic Gardening 3 p.m. Horticulture Therapy Gardens
CONTACT: Jerger, (765) 743-4420; e-mail, kjerger@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu
