Herb for sale & Conservation Booth at Garden Mart 2023
Garden Mart Plant sale - May 13th at the Easton Firehouse Green. Open to the Public from 9am to 12:30 PM.
In Easton, people have a passion for nature. We strive to be good stewards of the land. We enjoy having a beautiful space for the kids to play and areas of privacy to unwind and breathe. People in our community have shared the desire to learn more about creating gardens and outdoors spaces that support human health as well as nourish and foster pollinator health. Each year, Garden Club members and Master Gardeners are on hand at Garden Mart in the Conservation booth to answer questions and provide resources. Learn about the role native and pollinator-friendly plants play in the landscape. Some herbs and native plants increase biodiversity in support of a healthy food web. Their ability to thrive in our Easton ecoregion without much care, feeding or watering makes them a remarkable choice. Once established, they are not resource heavy.
Shop and plant: Adding anywhere from one pollinator-friendly tree or planter to a small pollinator garden can make a difference in nourishing and fostering pollinator health. We suggest starting this season by incorporating native straight species and other natives into your existing gardens alongside your non-native favorites. In addition to the herbs, shop for member dug perennials and locally sourced annuals found at this year’s Garden Mart. What is important is providing a succession of blooms providing both nectar and pollen from March to October needed to sustain our pollinators. Whatever you add, make sure the plants are not treated with herbicides or other pesticides.
We will have Pollinator friendly USDA certified organic Herbs from Gilbertie’s Organics, and for those who look forward to adding a butterfly medallion yard sign to your gardens, we will have the Pollinator Pathway signs for sale. This year, there will be two categories of Gilbertie’s USDA Certified Organic Herbs for sale:
Herbs that attract pollinators (butterflies, bees, birds and other pollinators), and in some cases serve as host plants for moths and butterflies.
Culinary herbs - we are offering pre-planted herb gift containers and individual specialty herbs for sale.
Tips and more resources: Visit the EGC website to learn more about Garden Mart, browse the Resource Library at www.eastongardenclubofct.org. Consider taking the pledge to protect pollinators at the Easton pollinator pathway by adding native pollinator-friendly plants, subtract a little lawn (cut high or reduce the size), and avoid the use of pesticides and lawn chemicals.
-Jean Stetz-Puchalski, UConn Certified Advanced Master Gardener and Master Composter, CT-NOFA Accredited Organic Land Care Professional (AOLP), and Easton Garden Club Conservation Chair
-Carol Hamilton, UConn Advanced Master Gardener and Master Gardener Booth Subcommittee Chair