2014 Hydrangea Festival in Douglasville, Gerogia – Part 2

WOW, I feel that I am in my environment when I come to the Hydrangea Festival.  As part of the festival, I stop at the Douglasville Cultural Arts Center to see the art exhibit, the design garden and the butterfly garden (by the Douglas County Master Gardeners).  On this hot sunny day, I decided to stop inside the Cultural Arts Center to view the Georgia Artists with Disabilities Exhibit.  The Douglasville Cultural Arts Center was one of nine sites statewide to showcase this incredible exhibit.  The exhibit featured winners of regional competitions and included 2-d art, fiber arts, photography and sculpture.   The Georgia Artists with Disabilities’ mission is to provide mediums through which Georgia artists with disabilities of the arts.  It also creates public awareness of the artistic skills that these artists have developed by overcoming the obstacles of the disability.   This exhibit was sponsored by the Pilot Clubs of Metro Atlanta which is an organization that promotes participation in civic-service projects which improve the health, education and welfare of all people.  Its goal mission is “full citizenship for people who are disabled”.  Click here to view some of the incredible artwork, sculptures and photography.

I also had a chance to see the the design garden and the butterfly garden on the grounds of the Cultural Arts Center in Douglasville, GA.  Click here to view what I seen at both of these gardens.

There is still more to see at this 2014 Hydrangea Festival.  Can not wait to show you this next week!!

Hydrangea Festival – Part 3 – Daytime Garden Tours

The last stop on the Hydrangea Festival was the Daytime Garden Tours.  This my favorite because I had a chance to see neighborhood privately own backyard homes and get some ideas on how I would like to decorate my dreamy backyard.  All of these homes where beautiful and it did not matter if it was a large farm backyard to a small square foot space.  These home owners knew how to make a backyard garden to pop.  Every owner made sure that they showed their personalities in the creation of their backyard.

Alot of the backyards have very usual plants and whimsical outside furniture.   Some of the list of what was in the backyard gardens were:

• Outdoor dining room complete with chandeliers,
• Children’s gardens,
• Koi ponds,
• Formal parterres,
• Woodland gardens,
• Decorative garden sheds,
• Greenhouses and conservatory
• Statuary and sculptures
• Over 700 boxwoods in one gardens
• Arbors and lots more

I truly appreciate and thank these home owners open their homes and backyards to the public.  I also stop at the Douglasville Cultural Art Center Complimentary Garden grounds where several local garden business designers display their expertise in gardening and lawn care.  Click here to see all of the photos of the backyard gardens.

Again, the Penny McHenry Hydrangea Festival surpass my expectations and I can not wait for what will happen until next year!!  Hope to see you there!!

Hydrangea Festival – Part 2 – Standard Flower Show Results and Festival Market

Back again to Hydrangea Festival, I had a chance t0 visit the Festival Market at the Douglasville Courthouse.  The Festival Market has given a chance of local artisans, crafts-persons and gardeners to display and sell their goods.  One craftsman was selling bird houses but these houses were not your ordinary bird houses.  Some of the birdhouse were shaped and made as a church, log cabin and even a clay house.  These houses were made for rich birds!  Click here to see more birdhouses.

Also at the Festival Market, there were alots of artisans that where selling their art work such as self portraits .  Another crafts-person was selling their beautiful jewelry and handmade bags.  Gardeners and Farmers where selling their unique plants, herbs, gardening accessories and flowers especially hydrangeas.  Click here to see more!

The standard flower show  was such a beautiful arrangement and so many different flowers that I have never seen before.  Last year the flower show title “The Royals” had 398 horticulture exhibits, 24 exquisite dining table designs, plus 34 youth and two educational exhibits. This years flower show had feature the “Blushing Bride” hydrangea.  The show qualifies for entry into the State and National award categories which was awarded in April and May 2013.  This event generated visitation from 56 Georgia cities, 12 states and 5 foreign countries.  Click here to see some of the flowers that were presented at the Standard Flower Show.

I had such a great time at the Standard Flower Show and Festival Market but the best is yet to come.  Next week, I will talk about Daytime Garden Tours!!

Hydrangea Festival 2013

Blushing Bride Hydrangea

Another year for the 6th Annual Penny McHenry Hydrangea Festival Garden Tour and Flower Show in Douglasville/Douglas County, Georgia.  The hydrangea for the flower show this year is the beautiful Blushing Bride.  I had a chance to do check out the Standard Flower Show results, the festival market, the Daytime Garden Tour, Cultural Arts Center – Display Gardens and Butterfly Garden.  Today, I am going to discuss about the Cultural Arts Center Gardens .

The interesting thing about the Cultural Arts Center is the history and the location of it’s grounds of the Robert-Mozley House.   It was built more than 100 years ago and today the graceful house and gardens are alive and well.   In 2007, a major garden restoration began with the assistance of the Douglas County Master Gardeners, Ama-Kanasta Garden Club and the staff  and  Board of the Cultural Arts Council.  Through all of the sweat equity and hard work the garden is now home to hydrangeas, hostas, camellias, flowering bulbs, perennials and annuals, together with butterfly nectar and host plants.

The Display Garden at the Cultural Arts Center was change for the Hydrangea Festival and its theme is the miniature gardens (Fairy  Gardens) displayed in wheelbarrows.  Each wheelbarrow was made by the 4H group of Douglas County, Douglas County Master and Jr. Gardeners, Ama-Kanasta Garden Club, the Hydrangea Festival Staff and Friends.  Everyone was so creative in their thinking of their own Fairy Garden.   Check out our Pinterest board to see the photos of Fairy Gardens and choose what is your favorite miniature wheelbarrow garden.  Click here. 

Then, I went to the Butterfly Garden where I had a chance to learn more of the butterflies and their habitats .  The garden’s goal is to provide a:

Setting in which butterflies can be observed visiting native plants and to educate and encourage each generation to to support the creation and preservation of native butterfly habitats.

Each plant labeling contain a Common Name, Botanical Name and Icons such as: star for Native to North America, house for Butterfly Host Plant, plate setting with fork and knife for Butterfly Nectar Plant and a Japanese fan for Historic/Heirloom 1800’s plant.  Click here to see the Butterfly Gardens in Pinterest.

I truly enjoyed myself while walking through theses gardens and learn so much about the plants and the creative thinking from everyone who was involved.  Next week, I am going to discuss about Standard Flower Show results and  the festival market.

Hydragena Festival

This is yet was another year for the where it is the best place to showcase different kind of beautiful Hydrangeas from all over the world.  This year’s theme is “The Royals” Majestic Hydrangeas series which have three cultivars – “Queen of Pearls”, “Princess Lace” and “Midnight Duchess”.  I had the chance this year to be a part of the Garden Tour where I was able to be a Master Gardener Tour Guide for one of the host home garden.  Check out the pictures of the garden that I hosted in Pinterest .

This year the Festival had a very special guest at the flower show presentation.  This celebrity guest speaker was the Coach Vince Dooley who spread motivation, inspiration and humor through his incredible presentation.  The Coach Vince Dooley was the head football coach (seasons 1964 through 1988) and athletic director (1979 to 2004) at the University of Georgia.  During his 25 year coaching career at UGA, Dooley compiled a 201–77–10 record. His teams won six Southeastern Conference titles and the 1980 national championship.

At the Hydrangea Festival there were two complimentary gardens  that features a Butterfly Garden and the Master Gardener Nature Trail .   The Butterfly Garden was sponsored by the Cultural Arts Center of Douglasville were you can have a chance to see Outdoor Living.  Also at the Cultural Art Center there where several Display Gardens that were beautifully designed and executed by different designers.  Check out the Pictures of the Butterfly Garden and Display Gardens in Pinterest.  The Master Gardener Nature Trail was transformed into the children’s dream were the child can imagine themselves playing in the wilderness featuring trails with bridges and many native plants.

The Festival Market was celebrated this year at the Hydrangea Festival and the local artisans did presented their treasure works for sale.  There were handmade Jewelry, painting, pottery, sculptures, ornamental iron works, glass work, artist demonstrations, antiques and more.    There were also light refreshments for sale at the Market such as New Orleans Cuisine, Irish food, Italian food and American Cuisine.  Check out the Pictures of the Festival Market in Pinterest

Every time I see a Hydrangea, I see such beauty in such a wonderful distinguish flower.  So if you want to have your landscape pop then plant a hydrangea and see your garden come to life!

Want to start a community garden in your neighborhood, become a HEPSA Living Healthy VIP Member for free and receive a Free HEPSA Living Healthy Newsletter.  Click here for more information.

Fourth Annual Penny McHenry Hydrangea Festival

Every year since 2007, Douglas County goes into a flowering gardening transformation with every burst of color and floral scents you can think of. It is the celebration of the beautiful Hydrangea flower in memory of a very special woman. Penny McHenry was the founder of the American Hydrangea Society, television personality and was featured in numerous national magazines. Her passion for Hydrangeas grew as a result of a friend sending her a hydrangea when she lost her daughter. Mrs. McHenry propagated the hydrangea and the rest is history. The American Hydrangea Society has grown to have members across the United States and internationally.

Hydrangea Festival

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