Sustainable gardens, landscape design ideas to be featured at day-long event

On May 13, the Green Blades Garden Club invites the community to attend “Joy in the Garden,” a full day of workshops and educational speakers including Frank Hyman “The Liberated Gardener” and Jay Sifford on “Magic in the Garden.” The event is from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Tryon Fine Arts Center.

Hyman has been creating beautiful and sustainable gardens since 1992 as owner of Cottage Garden Landscaping. He studied horticulture and design at NC State University under the late JC Raulston. He has created gardens that are drought proof, deer resistant, low maintenance, organic, and just plain pretty. He is also a professional stonemason, carpenter, metal worker and sculptor. He speaks and teaches classes in North Carolina and around the U.S., and he contributes to newspapers and magazines including Horticulture, Urban Farm, and Fine Gardening. His upcoming book, tentatively titled “The Liberated Gardener,” will teach gardeners how to save time, money, their backs, and our planet.

Landscape designer and writer, Sifford works primarily in the Charlotte metro area, and enjoys designing unique woodland, Asian, and contemporary gardens. He is skilled at employing foliage of contrasting shapes, textures, and colors to weave together a special place that brings forth positive emotions in those who spend time there. Artistry, magic and integrity are his goals as he approaches each project. He was awarded the 2016 Best of Houzz Award, Charlotte, for landscape design. His gardens have appeared in Fine Gardening magazine, and he designed a Pacific Northwest garden for the 2017 Southern Spring Show in Charlotte. He also contributes to Houzz magazine, among others.

This is a full day with demonstrations by Lisa Stokes – table decor, Erin Thompson – container gardens, Bill Miller – Lake Lure Flowering Bridge, Frank Fisher – Stone Crazy, and Sharon Trawick from Carlstedt’s Wholesale Florist – flower arrangements. Plus we will have vendors in the lobby in front of TFAC and in the park across the street. Our vendors will be Avery Creek Nursery, Etowah Orchids, Flowers For Ever, Drummond House, Green Blades Garden Club Market, JVS Birdhouses, Paradox Art Works, Plant Wise Solutions, Rustic Remakes, Summer Blooms, Florals Thompson Nursery, and Tryon Mountain Hardware. Vendors are open to the public to attend for free. Something for everyone who enjoys a garden!

Tickets with or without lunch are available at local merchants with cash or check: Carolina Confections, Manna Cabanna Downtown Market, Drummond House, Vines of Tryon, and PJ Fashions in Landrum or by credit card at Tryon Fine Arts Center, 828-859-8322 or www.tryonarts.org. Deadline for lunch tickets is May 9!

This event is to raise funds for our yearly projects, which are currently:

The Park on Trade – planting and maintenance

Morris Corner- planting and maintenance

Hospice of the Carolina Foothills- Christmas decorations

Polk County Foster Care Children- providing funds for Christmas gifts

Seeds for Thermal Belt Outreach- providing vegetable seeds to clients

Tryon Fine Arts Center – Christmas decorations

The Green Blades Garden Club, organized in 1952, is a non-profit 501(c)3 with the purpose of being philanthropic and educational, for the encouragement and development of garden, conservation, and beautification projects for home and our community. We meet monthly, September through May, and work 12 months a year. For membership information, contact Liz Norstrom at 828-894-2296, or auntiemame0@windstream.net.

– article submitted by Grace Seidman