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Spring has officially sprung – time to get your hands dirty! To help with the process, we’ve amassed a collection of plant swaps, garden shows, wildflower hikes, gardening workshops and other home-and-garden related events taking place in and around Lexington in the coming months.
Central Kentucky Home & Garden Show. March 31-April 2. This marketplace offers the opportunity to shop for home-related products and services, garner inspiration for projects with a collection of displays, connect with industry experts and more. Hours are 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Fri.-Sat.; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun. Central Bank Center, 430 W. Vine St. www.centralkentuckyhomeshow.com
Athens Schoolhouse Antique Show. April 8-9, May 13-14, June 10-11, July 8-9. This monthly show features thousands of square feet of antiques and collectibles from the region’s most prominent dealers. Products range from American and European furniture to vintage handbags and accessories. Monthly shows take place 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Athens Boonesboro School, 6270 Athens Walnut Hill Pike. More details and a full list of upcoming dates are available at www.antiqueskentucky.com
Wild Ones: Spring Wildflower Hike. April 15. This wildflower hike will travel from the upland parking areas on an old road that descends into the creek valley, and then along Lower Howard’s Creek, one of the region’s most beautiful waterways. Participants will have the chance to admire the spectacular rock faces that form its banks and hopefully catch a large population of Virginia Bluebells in bloom. 1-4 p.m. Lower Howards Creek Nature and Heritage Preserve,1225 Athens-Boonesboro Road, Winchester. lexington.wildones.org/events
The Kentucky Christmas Tree Association’s Annual Plant Auction. April 15. This annual auction provides a unique opportunity to bid and take home some Kentucky-grown nursery stock. A variety of annuals, perennials, and 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. kychristmastreefarms.com/annual-spring-auction
Wild Ones Plant Exchange. May 4. Everything from seeds, perennials, grasses and sedges to shrubs, trees and vines can be exchanged at this event to benefit the local chapter of Wild Ones; the only stipulation is that the plants must be native to the eastern United States (cultivars of a native plant are also acceptable). Participants are encouraged to bring finger foods, beer or wine if they don’t have any plants to offer. Note: The event features a modest entry fee; cash is appreciated. 6:30-8:30 p.m. St. Michael’s Church (upper parking lot), 2025 Bellefonte Drive. lexington.wildones.org/events
Arboretum Spring Plant Exchange. May 6. At this annual plant exchange, participants are asked to bring garden items to exchange (i.e., 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. Setup 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
Bluegrass Iris Society Spring Iris Show. May 13. Beautiful locally grown iris stems, flower designs, photography and iris culture information will be on display at the Bluegrass Iris Society’s annual show, which is free and open to the public from 1-4 p.m. Lexington Green Mall (behind Joseph-Beth Booksellers), 161 Lexington Circle. More information and entry rules can be found at www.bluegrassiris.org.
Down to Earth Garden Sale. May 13. This annual plant sale/community fundraiser hosted by the Down to Earth Garden Club features plants that are grown, nurtured and generously donated by club members. To accommodate a building project at the longtime venue (Woodland Christian Church), the event will take place at a new INDOOR venue (rain or shine!), and will feature native plants, herbs, fruits, vegetables, perennials, wildflowers, grasses, hostas, shrubs, trees, annuals, container gardens, succulents, irises, decorative containers, gardening books and many plants for sun or shade. Proceeds benefit local projects that promote gardening, education, preservation, conservation and environmental stewardship. (EDITOR'S NOTE: This event will take place inside the church, not in the parking lot as we erroneously published in our print magazine.) 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Centenary United Methodist Church, 2800 Tates Creek Road. www.downtoearthky.com
The Garden Club of Kentucky: Botherum Garden Tour. June 17-18. This tour of the historic home and gardens of Botherum, owned and designed by Jon Carloftis, will benefit The Garden Club of Kentucky. Built in 1851 by architect/builder John McMurtry, this Greek Revival home was commissioned by Kentucky attorney general Madison Conyers Johnson, added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1973, and meticulously restored by Carloftis into a showcase of Southern style, hospitality and grace. It has been featured in Martha Stewart Living, Garden & Gun, and Southern Living, to name a few. This tour includes gardens of his home, carriage house and the newly acquired original summer kitchen. Tickets are limited and must be purchased prior to the event. 1-5 p.m. both days. More info and a link to tickets can be found at www.gardenclubky.org.
Open Gates to Bluegrass Living Garden Tour. June 24-25. Presented by the Lexington Council Garden Clubs, this garden tour will feature eight beautiful Lexington gardens, designed by homeowners and professionals alike. Tickets will be available at a variety of independently owned garden centers, including Best Of Flowers, King’s Gardens, Peggy’s Gifts and Accessories, Pemberton’s Greenhouse, Wilson’s Garden Center Lexington and Springhouse Gardens in May and June, and at the participating homes on the days of the tour. Proceeds from the tour help provide scholarships to University of Kentucky students majoring in horticulture and related fields. A list of participating gardens and more details can be found at www.lexgardenclubs.org.
Wild Ones Curbside Garden Tour. June 24. This garden tour focuses on front yard gardens — in particular, those that are planted in the strip between a sidewalk and the street. Its goal is to highlight these curb stripes which are publicly very visible but rarely used for ornamental gardening. With some thought given to planting height and succession of bloom, they can be transformed into magnificent flower beds. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Multiple locations to be announced. www.lexington.wildones.org/events
Bluegrass Daylily Show. July 1. Local iris lovers are invited to browse the many colors and shapes of jury-selected modern and historic daylilies from growers and hybridizers in Bluegrass Hemerocallis Society. 1-4 p.m., Twin Pines Christian Church, 1139 Tanbark Road.
Fayette County Extension Office Gardening Workshops. Each year, the Fayette County Extension Office hosts a bevy of horticulture, agriculture and family science workshops. Topics for this year’s workshops include Growing Dahlias (April 13), The Truly Hardy Fall Mums (May 16), Native Ornamental Grasses (June 15), Milkweeds for the Garden (June 20) and many, many more. For a full schedule, more details or to register, visit fayette.ca.uky.edu and click the “Upcoming Events” tab.