Garden Gurus Lecture & Plant Auction

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Each year in June as part of the McCracken County Fair, Purchase Area Master Gardeners Garden Club (PAMGA), Paducah, KY sponsors a standard flower show featuring both horticulture and design competition. Purchase Area Master Gardeners are volunteers trained in research-based horticulture by the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service. Formed in 1999, PAMGA members reside in seven counties in Western Kentucky. PAMGA has been an affiliated member of The Garden Club of Kentucky for several years.

As Master Gardeners, main mission is education. Our signature event is "Garden Gurus" each January. Created in 1999, this lecture series and live auction of specimen plants has evolved into an eagerly anticipated "daylong celebration of gardening." The event features national speakers, live and silent auctions, a plant sale, book and tool sales, exhibits, autograph sessions, and garden themed merchandise.

Garden Gurus began as a lecture series (with a twist) in 1999. The goal was to bring noted horticulturalists to our community and to give area residents the opportunity to purchase unusual specimen plants. Speakers have included: Roger Swain, Felder Rushing, Dr. Paul Cappiello, Rick Weyers, Lin Harris, Dr. R. William Thomas, Richard Dube, Cole Burrell, Rick Darke, Tracy DiSabato-Aust, Jim Wilson, Paul James, P. Allen Smith, and most recently Holly Shimizu and Michael Weishan. In six years we outgrew three venues. Now fill Paducah's Expo Center and the lecture series has grown into a daylong celebration of gardening including workshops, vendors, live and silent auctions, a plant sale, tool and book sales, and of course featured speakers.

During 2007 annual gardening celebration garden designer Gordon Hayward presented a design lecture based on his award-winning book “Your House, Your Garden.” Hayward, of Putney, Vt., has written six books and more than 50 articles for Horticulture and Fine Gardening magazines on practical gardening and garden design.

Garden consultant Judy Glattstein talked about foliage as a foundation for garden design. Glattstein, an instructor at the New York Botanical Garden, has written six books and is a regular contributor to Horticulture, The American Gardener, Fine Gardening and Garden Design magazines. She specializes in naturalistic designs using native and exotic plants.

Proceeds from Garden Gurus, a spring plant sale and a fall gardening event support educational programs including the Demonstration & Trial Garden on Coleman Roadin Paducah. Twice in brief eight years of existence the National Garden Club, Inc. has recognized our efforts with the Fisher Award which is given to the Best Garden Center in the Nation.

Location and Contact:
Purchase Area Master Gardeners Garden Club (PAMGA)
2705 Olivet Church Road,
Paducah, Ky 42001
Phone: 270/554-9520
Fax: 270/554-8283
Web: http://www.pamga.org/