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As the last signs of winter fade, we’ve compiled a listing of upcoming home- and garden-related workshops, marketplaces, plant sales and more.
Central Kentucky Home & Garden Show. April 1-3. This marketplace offers the opportuniry to shop for home-related products and services, view displays to help inspire projects, connect with industry experts and more. Fri., noon-8 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun., 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Central Bank Center, 430 W. Vine St. www.centralkentuckyhomeshow.com
Fayette County Extension Office Gardening Workshops. The Fayette County Extension Office offers dozens of gardening workshops each year. After hosting the workshops virtually last year, they have moved back to an in-person format. Topics for the virtual classes include “Easy Cut Flowers from Seed” (April 5), “Growing Great Tomatoes” (May 12) “Hardy Ferns” (May 19), “Managing Lawn Weeds” (June 7), “Fall Blooming Perennials” (June 22) and more. For a full schedule, more details or to register, visit fayette.ca.uky.edu and click the “Upcoming Events” tab.
Athens Schoolhouse Antique Show. April 9-10, May 14-15, June 11-12. This monthly sale features thousands of square feet of antiques, collectibles, vintage housewares and architectural salvage from prominent regional dealers. Products range from American and European furniture to vintage handbags and accessories. Masks are required, and attendees are asked to utilize hand sanitizer and social distancing. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Athens Boonesboro School, 6270 Athens Walnut Hill Pike. www.antiqueskentucky.com
Wild Ones presents Dan Patrick: Insect Orders. April 7. Insects are crucial to the plant world – the world in which we live. Every insect feeds on plants or is the predator of an insect that feeds on plants. Retired biology teacher Dan Patrick provides this introduction to the different kinds of insects we may encounter in our ramblings through nature. 6:30 p.m. St. Michael’s Church, 2025 Bellefonte Drive. lexington.wildones.org/todo
The Kentucky Christmas Tree Association’s 16th Annual Plant Auction. April 23. This annual auction— during the perfect time of year to plant — provides a unique opportunity to bid and take home some Kentucky-grown nursery stock. A variety of annuals, perennials, balled and burlapped trees and shrubs will be available, with a portion of proceeds going toward providing one or more scholarships for University of Kentucky students majoring in forestry or related sciences in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. 10 a.m.-noon. Fayette County Extension Office, 1140 Harry Sykes Way. For more information, call (859) 223-1140
The City Nature Challenge. May 1. The Central Kentucky Audubon Society, Floracliff Nature Sanctuary, North American Butterfly Association — Central Kentucky, UK-LFUCG Arboretum and Wild Ones’ Lexington chapter will lead a wild nature discovery walk to participate in the City Nature Challenge, a global four-day community science event aimed at documenting nature in and around urban areas. During Lexington’s event, participants will discover the wild nature supported by our urban landscape, and they will document it using the iNaturalist app. Observers of all skill levels are welcome to help discover nature from the soil to the treetops (not everyone will need to use the iNaturalist app, but a tutorial will be provided for those who wish to learn). 1 p.m. The Arboretum State Botanical Garden, 500 Alumni Drive, arboretum.ca.uky.edu
Arboretum Spring Plant Exchange. May 14. Participants are asked to bring garden items to exchange (trees, shrubs, perennial divisions, bulbs, houseplants, and garden-related items such as tools, books and pots), though it is not necessary to bring anything to participate. Set-up begins at 8:30 a.m. for those bringing items to exchange, with the exchange starting at 9 a.m. No pre-registration is required. The Arboretum State Botanical Garden, 500 Alumni Drive, arboretum.ca.uky.edu
Wild Ones Plant Exchange. May 5. The primary fundraiser for the Lexington chapter of Wild Ones, a national organization that promotes environmentally friendly landscaping and the use of native plants, this annual event offers participants the opportunity to dig up and bring in surplus plants and choose multiple plants to take home. 6 p.m., St. Michael’s Church, 2025 Bellefonte Drive, Lexington, upper parking lot. https://lexington.wildones.org/todo/
Down to Earth Garden Sale. May 7. Following a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the beloved annual plant sale and community fundraiser returns this year, with a variety of native plants, herbs, fruits, vegetables, perennials, wildflowers, grasses, hostas, shrubs, trees, annuals, container gardens, succulents, irises and Mother’s Day floral gifts for sale. Proceeds will benefit a variety of local organizations, including Kentucky Natural Lands Trust, KNLT Kentucky Tornado Relief Grant for Western Kentucky, Raven Run, the Garden at Ashland, The Nest and more. 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Woodland Christian Church, 530 E. High St. www.downtoearthky.com
Hartland Tour of Homes. June 12. The Hartland Neighborhood’s first tour of homes, will highlight some of the neighborhood’s most beautiful and varied outdoor living spaces, from covered patios and beautifully landscaped gardens to pools and water features. All proceeds will benefit the family of Britt O’Brien, who was recently paralyzed in an accident. Noon-5 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at Hartland Clubhouse, 4910 Hartland Parkway, starting at 11:45 a.m.