Green thumbs will be plentiful on Saturday, April 3, when the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History presents the Vandalia Heritage Series: Garden Festival from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Cultural Center, State Capitol Complex in Charleston. This year marks the Division’s eighth day-long celebration of the growing season with workshops, exhibitors and demonstrations. All activities, located on the plaza deck and in the Great Hall of the Cultural Center, are free and open to the public.
Gardeners, agricultural experts, herbalists, organic gardeners, landscape designers, lawn and garden suppliers and others will be on hand to answer questions and sell their wares, including plants native to West Virginia. In addition, lunches provided by K-Mac Mills of Mt. Nebo will be available for purchase from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Concurrent workshop topics include “Native Orchids: West Virginia’s Botanical Gems,” “DeBugging the Garden,” “Proper Techniques and Timing for Pruning Ornamental Trees and Shrubs,” “Design Inspiration,” “Lavender: Seven Sensations for You,” “Bold Strokes,” “Container Gardening Basics,” and “The Many Uses of Garlic - Beyond Cuisine.”
In addition, a special session entitled “Chanticleer: A Pleasure Garden” will be held from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. The workshop will be led by Daniel Benarcik, a horticulturist at Chanticleer, an innovative garden in Wayne, Pa. He oversees the tropical garden, concentrating on tropical, sub-tropical and tender perennials for seasonal display. Benarcik has written articles that were published in Fine Gardening, Horticulture, Martha Stewart Living and Rodale gardening books. He also designs and constructs garden furniture, and teaches and lectures nationally. “Chanticleer: A Pleasure Garden” provides a virtual garden tour showing development of the site through slides depicting the beauty of the art of horticulture.
Chanticleer was originally the home of Adolph Rosengarten Sr., head of the chemical company Rosengarten and Sons. Over the years, the acreage was expanded and consolidated into a 35-acre estate by Adolph Rosengarten Jr. and his wife Janet. In the mid-1970s, he made arrangements to preserve the home by forming the Chanticleer Charitable Trust and the Chanticleer Foundation, which provide the framework to develop and maintain the estate as a garden open to the public.
The Garden Festival was initiated seven years ago and has continued to grow. Preservation of West Virginia’s mountain culture is a primary goal of the Division. The Vandalia Heritage Series is a celebration of the spirit of the Vandalia Gathering, providing an intimate, hands-on approach to passing on West Virginia traditions. Since its inception, the series has focused on dance, oral history, gospel and traditional music, fishing, quilting, the Irish influence and gardening.
For more information about the Vandalia Heritage Series or other programs of the Division, call (304) 558-0162. A complete list of workshops and exhibitors is attached.
The West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History, an agency of the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History, brings together the state’s past, present and future through programs and services in the areas of archives and history, the arts, historic preservation and museums. The Cultural Center is West Virginia’s official showcase for the arts. Visit the Division’s website at www.wvculture.org for more information about programs of the Division. The Department of Arts, Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
Vandalia Heritage Series: Garden Festival
Saturday, April 3, from 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
The Cultural Center, State Capitol Complex, Charleston
Concurrent Workshops
Art Gallery West Virginia State Theater
10 a.m. Native Orchids: DeBugging the Garden
West Virginia’s Botanical Gems Timothy L. Forren
Doug Jolley Forren Soil
Master Gardener Charleston
Flatwoods
11:15 a.m. Proper Techniques and Timing for Design
Inspiration
Pruning Ornamental Trees Tom Vasale
and Shrubs Tom's Word Horticulture Consulting
Dr. John Jett Charleston
WVU Extension Specialist/Horticulture
Monongalia County
Morgantown
West Virginia State Theater
12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Chanticleer: A Pleasure Garden
Dan Benarcik
Chanticleer Garden
Wayne, Pennsylvania
1:45 p.m. Lavender: Bold Strokes
Seven Sensations for You Bill Mills
Myra Bonhage-Hale TerraSalis
La Paix Herb Farm Malden
Alum Bridge
3 p.m. Container Gardening Basics The Many Uses of Garlic:
Debby Meadows Beyond Cuisine
Meadowflower Greenhouse Sue Cosgrove Farmington Certification
Coordinator
Mountain State Organic Growers
and Buyers Association
Chloe
Exhibitors: Fire Creek Salsa, Forren Soil, Garden Treasures, Honey of an Herb Farm, K-Mac Mills, La Paix Herb Farm, LeeJun Farm, Meadowflower Greenhouse, Patty’s Daylilies, Plant and Gnome, Porterbrook Native Plants, Primitive Wood Wares, Spoon and Sweets Inc., Straight Fork Farm, Sugar Creek Recipes/Country Heart, Summer Kitchen Pottery, Sunshine Farm & Gardens, TerraSalis, 30 Acre Wood, West Virginia Department of Agriculture and West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Environmental Resources Section
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