GardenFest blooms again on Saturday and Sunday
Jun. 16—LEWISTON — For many years, Bob Albee watched his wife, Doreen, and her friends in the Lewiston Garden Club, enjoy their friendships and shared hobby.
He began gardening several years ago after he retired, and now his "man garden" is the centerpiece in the backyard he and Doreen will have open to the public during the Lewiston GardenFest, being held by the club on Saturday and Sunday in the Village of Lewiston.
"I've always wanted a 'man garden,' " he joked recently as he and Doreen readied their garden showcase, one of seven private and six public gardens open to the public in walking distance from the Center Street festival. Bob's 'man garden' has rocks and a waterfall and is circled by a toy train. He lets Doreen spread her flowers in his 'man garden,' but he doesn't think it really needs flowers. There are flowers everywhere else in the Albee backyard.
Doreen, a past GardenFest chairwoman, is looking forward to talking with those who walk through the Albee garden, sharing tips on birdwatching and detailing how her garden is particularly friendly to bees, especially because bees and pollinators are the theme of this year's GardenFest, subtitled, "Bee Power: Our Friends in the Garden."
As Doreen chatted in her backyard with this year's GardenFest Chairwoman, Judy Talarico, both women were asked: "What is it you like best about gardening?
"I've been able to spread the gardening bug to my granddaughter, Norah, who lives in Philadelphia. She's five," Doreen said. "I gave her a package of zinnia seeds last year and she has the most beautiful zinnias, which are attracting goldfinches to her cement backyard."
Also enjoying gardening are her grandsons, Robert 12, and Braden, 6, Doreen said. "They always want to come and help grandma water."
Talarico, who joined the Lewiston Garden Club in 2013 after moving to Lewiston from Hamburg when she married Realtor Sam Talarico, is chairing the 15th Gardenfest for her first time.
She recalls learning her love of gardening from her mom, but never acquired her mom's love of roses.
"She had rosebushes. I knew I didn't want rose bushes because she was always scratched up. So I've never planted roses," Judy said, smiling at the memory.
Judy said she prefers the art of arranging flowers and greenery and mulch in her garden. "I like the whole idea of landscaping," she explained. "You need flowers in your landscaping but I appreciate the greenery and the flowers, and this water feature, I love," she added, pointing to Bob Albee's train-surrounded waterfalls.
A list of gardens open to visitors will be available at the welcome booth. There will also be an explanation at the booth of COVID precautions. Last year's Gardenfest was canceled due to COVID. This year's event will be held without the opening ceremonies and butterfly release, and the popular garden seminars, all of which put attendees in close proximity.
Everything else at the festival will proceed as usual, with 70 vendors offering plants, flowers and garden merchandise and art. The container garden competition will also be held, with both children and adult categories and prizes from local merchants.
"We encourage people to come up with whimsical and traditional containers," Talarico noted, adding that "It's always a lot of fun."
In addition to vendors, representatives from Cornell Cooperative Extension will be in Hennepin Park answering gardening questions and providing free soil sample analysis.
Building on the GardenFest's "Bee Power" theme, kids' crafts will including decorating bumblebee rocks and creating tissue flowers, while supplies last.
More information and entry applications for the container garden contest with pictures of past winners can be found at lewistongardenfest.com. The public will vote for the winners and prizes will be awarded at 3 p.m. Sunday in Hennepin Park. The GardenFest runs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday on Center Street.
