With Earth Day right around the corner, the Battle-Friedman House Gardens is out to show that going green is easy and fun this Sunday at its second annual Earth Day Garden Show.
This free event will be held from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Battle-Friedman House Gardens and is open to the public.
“It is a very family-friendly event,” Lucy Murphy, event coordinator for the garden show, said. “People really enjoyed themselves last year. The response was, ‘Do this again and we’ll be back.’”
Although only two hours long, the Garden Show is filled with events designed to honor this year’s theme “It’s Easy to be Green.” This sustainable theme is in anticipation of Earth Day on April 22.
The Gardens has compiled a series of informative hands-on events and displays to get gardeners and their families in a green state of mind. There will be children’s materials on recycling as well as information on water barreling, collecting and conserving rainwater, in addition to unconventional potting methods and many other ways to “green-ify” gardens and spaces.
“People will also have the opportunity to check out our potted tomato plants and learn to care for them so they can take them home,” Murphy said.
The garden show looks to be an appealing event to gardeners, both at a master and novice level. Tricia McElroy, associate professor in the English department at The University of Alabama, is a novice gardener whose interest in gardening peaked after the April 27, 2011 tornado.
“I became interested in gardening after the tornado, which felled two enormous trees in my back yard and forced me into a major project of repair,” she said. “Since then, I have taught myself as much as possible about planting perennials especially, and old garden roses.”
McElroy said she is interested in learning about environmentally friendly methods at the show.
“I would definitely find it interesting, as I try to limit the use of chemicals in the garden because of my little girl and two dogs who play outdoors all the time,” McElroy said.
Murphy said the Gardens is prepared to get people interested and active in its “go green” message this year.
“We’ll also have local vendors on hand like Lowe’s and Crosstie [Stone Supply Inc.],” Murphy said. “Everyone will also leave with a goodie bag. The goal is to have people leave with a lot more than they came in with.”
The Battle-Friedman House is located on 1010 Greensboro Ave. The house and gardens are now maintained by the Tuscaloosa County Preservation Society.
