Events and Activities : Extension plans 10th annal Garden Extravaganza May 10

Come grow your gardens with new plants from the 10th annual Benton County ISU Extension Master Gardeners "Garden Extravaganza" Saturday, May 10, at Atkins School, Atkins. The school is located at 217 4th Avenue. Signs will be posted.

Public admission is free from 8-9am to the always popular plant and garden-art sale. Come early for best selections of plants that come from Master Gardeners' personal gardens and winter greenhouse projects. Heirloom plants will also be available. "Garden Extravaganza" registration also takes place from 8-9am.

Everyone who registers will be eligible to win valuable prizes donated by area vendors and Benton County Master Gardeners. Early registration for prizes, lectures and workshop is $20. After May 2, $25. Posters with information and registration forms can be found at area libraries or by contacting:

Greg Walston, Benton County Program Director; Iowa State University Extension Phone 319-472-4739 gwalston@iastate.edu

Scheduled features:

9am - "Natural Prairie Plants" by Benton County Roadside Manager, Ben Bonar. He will discuss the history of prairie in Iowa which once covered 80% of land area, plus the benefits of gardening with seed choices from 300 native plant species. He will also explain prairie management and Iowa's Integrated Roadside Vegetation Management program.

10am - Author of "Gardening the Amana Way", Larry Rettig's Cottage-in-the-Meadow garden is listed with the Smithsonian Institute. He will share many historical features of the garden as well as information on his preservation of heirloom vegetable seeds from Germany.

11am - "Vertical Succulent Garden Box". Join ISU Master Gardener, Steve Geiken, and Benton County Master Gardeners in this hands-on workshop combining two new trends, vertical gardening and succulents. Registrants will add drought loving plants into a preassembled structure to take home with instructions for care.

Recertification hours available for Master Gardeners.