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Jackson garden show cures winter doldrums
MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Gardeners looking for a break from the long, wet winter may want to head down to the 2004 Mississippi Garden and Patio Show March 13 and 14 in Jackson.
The show is a result of the combined efforts of the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce, the Mississippi Nursery and Landscape Association and Mississippi State University, and officially kicks off the gardening season.
"This is the granddaddy of the garden and patio shows, and if you've been before you know it's not just any show," said horticulturist Norman Winter with the MSU Extension Service. The show takes place at the agriculture and forestry buildings located on the state fairgrounds.
"The area becomes a dazzling landscape of flowers, trees, shrubs and even structures like decks or gazebos," Winter said. "These landscapes are created by area professionals to give gardeners ideas to use in their own landscapes."
This year's event is expected to draw close to 8,000 visitors. The 120-plus exhibitors come from several states and offer the latest in shrubs, trees, bedding plants, pottery, ironwork, garden accessories and gardening equipment.
The educational program features Mississippi gardening columnists, horticulturists, landscape architects and other experts offering sessions on butterfly gardening, the power of the focal point, hot new plants, backyard fruit production, creating an award winning landscape, making hypertufa pots, herb gardening, and many more.
The show begins at 8 a.m. Saturday and runs until 6 p.m., then continues on Sunday from noon until 5 p.m. The educational programs run continuously throughout both days.
Winter's educational session, titled Captivating Flower Combinations, is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Saturday. He will highlight the hottest new plants, the latest in combination planting and ideas for new uses of tried-and-true flowers.
Admission for adults is $3, and children ages 13 and under are admitted free. Educational programs, soil testing and one-on-one visits with a "plant doctor" are included in the admission price. Parking is free.
For more information on the 2004 Mississippi Garden and Patio Show, call toll-free (866) 919-8111.
