Learn from gardening gurus and purchase a plethora of plants to take home this Memorial Day weekend as Garden Jubilee returns to downtown Hendersonville, May 25-26.
Now in its 32nd year, this beloved two-day event, presented by Stuller Power Solutions, transforms Main Street into an oasis of greenery, flowering annuals, savory herbs and eclectic yard art. This year, organizers put an emphasis on the speaker showcase, spreading programming across Saturday and Sunday and bringing in experts known locally, regionally and nationally for their horticultural experience.
“We wanted to build on an event that has been successful for a long time,” says Terrye Jacobs, Hendersonville events coordinator. “Everyone loves the shopping aspect of Garden Jubilee, so we thought we would see if we could get some top-notch speakers to round out the schedule, and turns out, they were happy to participate.”
Bill Quade, director of horticulture for Biltmore, kicks off the speaker showcase both days at 10:30 a.m. with a talk about Frederick Law Olmsted’s garden design at Biltmore. Bryce Lane — longtime horticulture lecturer at N.C. State University and host of “In the Garden with Bryce Lane” on PBS NC — follows with talks about the joy of gardening (Saturday) and the importance of landscape biodiversity (Sunday). Local gardening experts speak in the afternoon with topics including shade-loving plants, pollinators and monarch butterflies. The speaker showcase takes place on the historic courthouse plaza and is presented by Parks Ford.
Throughout the day Saturday and Sunday, more than 150 plant and crafts vendors line Main Street with a diverse selection of annuals, perennials, herbs, trees, vegetables, hard-to-find plants, handmade creations, yard art and outdoor furniture. The Lowe’s Outdoor Experience, located at the south end of the festival area, provides tips and techniques for maximizing gardening tools and equipment to achieve desired results in your home landscape.
Downtown shops and restaurants welcome attendees, and on Saturday morning, the Hendersonville Farmers Market is a short walk away at the 7th Avenue Historic Train Depot.
Hours for Garden Jubilee are 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. For additional information about the event: www.GardenJubilee.org. For more information about Hendersonville, including lodging options: www.VisitHendersonvilleNC.org.