Crowds give Garden Festival at Maxwell Center green thumbs-up
By News-Argus Staff
Published in News on April 23, 2018 5:50 AM
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Crowds line up early to take advantage of the annual N.C. Cooperative Extension Garden Festival and Plant Sale, moved this year to the new Maxwell Regional Agricultural and Convention Center. They shopped among a variety of plants including annuals and perennials, shrubs and hanging baskets as well as vegetable and herb transplants.
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News-Argus/PHYLLIS MOORE
Kathy Cox of Grantham, left, and her mother, Anne Horne, check on Cox's Yorkie, Logan, in the pet stroller as the women shop at the Garden Festival and Plant Sale in the parking lot of Maxwell Center on Saturday.
A long line formed early Saturday morning for the annual N.C. Cooperative Extension Garden Festival and Plant Sale in the parking lot of Maxwell Regional Agricultural and Convention Center.
Wayne County Extension Master Gardener volunteers were on hand to answer garden-related questions and provide directions for the plant sale, which featured annuals and perennials, hanging baskets and shrubs and an array of vegetable and herb transplants.
Nola Claiborne arrived with two things on her shopping list.
"I'm looking for vegetable plants for my garden -- a flat of 10 vegetables is $20 -- and get my mom some hanging baskets for Mother's Day," she said.
"This is my first time coming to this, but I thought it was a great opportunity to get out, and what a beautiful day!"
Many arrived with containers to fill, whether it be a cardboard box or a variety of carts and wagons for their bargains.
Kathy Cox of Grantham, there with her mom, Anne Horne, borrowed a well-used red Radio Flyer wagon at the entrance. They were also accompanied by Cox's Yorkie, Logan, in a pet stroller.
This was the first time at the event at its new location, they said.
"I wanted to see what they had," Cox said, looking around at the growing crowd. "There are a lot of people so this is great."
They were quickly filling up the wagon.
"We have tomato plants and whatever these are," Cox said, pointing to some yellow-tipped flowering plants.
"And we want some Gerber daisies," her mom said.
Even though some of the items were rapidly being scooped up by the other customers, the women gushed about the location and the addition of the Maxwell Center to this community.
"We love the curb market," Horne said. "And we're going to come to the farmers market when it opens here."
Other Extension Gardening programs are planned for later this month, including a vegetable and herbs workshop on Tuesday, April 24, from 5 until 8 p.m. at Wayne County Extension Office, 208 W. Chestnut St. The workshop, on "Pruning in the Garden," is part of a monthly series, and registration is $5.
The Wayne County Extension Master Gardener volunteer plant clinic also takes place Mondays and Wednesdays, 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. For more information, call 919-731-1433 or email master.gardener@waynegov.com.