Montoursville, Pennsylvania – The Master Gardeners are throwing a party! Nature lovers can celebrate unique gardens at the peak of their beauty and learn from area experts about all things gardening this Saturday August 10th during “Garden Fest 2019” at the Penn State Extension.

Created by the Penn State Master Gardeners of Lycoming County, this event runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the demonstrations gardens and Lysock Complex building at 542 County Farm Road, Montoursville, PA, rain or shine. Garden Fest 2019 celebrates all things gardening with workshops, tours, vendors, refreshments, prizes and more.

Visitors can browse and buy a variety of annual and perennial plants as well as garden-themed arts and crafts.

They can also tour the demonstration gardens, which include perennial, native, annual, vegetable, pollinator, and herb gardens as well as the Sensory Garden.

Other planned attractions include a bird walk at 10 a.m. on the Conservation Trail with the Lycoming Audubon and Birds of the Susquehanna Viewing Station, a chance to ask experts horticultural questions, special children’s activities, educational displays, refreshments, door prizes and the Plant and Garden Treasure Sale.

Yoga and meditation teacher Nina Riggle will also be at the Garden Fest, sharing about the natural connections between gardening and yoga. All work can be done from a chair or the ground.

At 9 a.m. visitors can learn more about garden design from a talk titled “Imaginative Ways to Improve Your Home’s Curb Appeal — Discover New Ways to Make House and Landscape Pop!” The presenter is Carl Bower, Assistant Professor of Horticulture at Pennsylvania College of Technology.

At 10 a.m. Erik Guthrie of Erik’s Edibles, located at the Pajama Factory, will discuss canning with his talk, “Basic Canning 101 — Focusing on Safety and Maintaining Taste.”

At 11 a.m. participants can learn from Penn State experts how to prevent ticks and mosquitoes with a talk from Karen C. Poh, postdoctoral scholar, and Hannah Greenburg, graduate student, both of the Penn State Entomology Dept, titled, “The Dirt on Ticks and Mosquitoes — Protection from These Disease-Carrying Pests!”

At 12 p.m. Sue J. Morris, owner of Sue’s Salves, will offer a class for DIY skin care, entitled, “Plant Based Healing for the Skin—Ditch the Chemicals in Your Skin Care Products with Plants.”

“Garden Fest is a wonderful opportunity for any level of garden enthusiast!” says Jen Dudek, member of the Penn State Master Gardeners of Lycoming County’s Garden Fest Committee. “By touring our gardens you can find inspiration for your new hobby or ‘Asking the Experts’ to solve your ongoing plant or insect problems. This event can cover anyone’s needs! It’s also a good way to build a sense of community from others with the same interests.”

Garden Fest 2019 is free and open to the public as well to commemorate another beautiful garden season. For more information, call 570-433-3040 or visit extension.psu.edu/garden-fest.