The Seventh Annual Master Gardener Extension Volunteer Plant Festival and Sale will be Saturday, September 29 from 10am-4pm at 1400 Parker Road, rain or shine.

All kinds of fun activities will be offered. The Master Gardeners will have a huge plant sale with a wide variety of flowers, trees and shrubs – all priced very reasonably. Perfect for those that aren't green thumbs or for the other gardeners in your life.

The Chinese Auction will offer the opportunity to win prizes such as a load of compost delivered to your home, Shitake mushroom logs, garden tools, plants, gift certificates, jewelry, pictures and much more. Tickets will be a dollar a piece (six for $5)  and winners will be drawn at 4pm.You need not be present to win. 

At 10:30am, Pete Griffen of the Department of Natural Resources will bring some endangered species for us to see – including a bald eagle, huge alligator turtle, gopher tortoise, indigo snake and an alligator.  The same program will be presented again at 12:30pm and 2:30pm. These three presentations are sponsored by Cowan Ace Hardware and Snapping Shoals EMC. The speaker at 11:30am is Jim Thornton of the Azalea Society on how to select and grow our lovely azaleas. At 1:30pm  local artist Orrin Morris will present a program titled “Fall Wildlfowers in Rockdale County.”  He will also have his beautiful note cards available for purchase all day and will be signing his new books.

You can get your holiday shopping done early for your favorite gardener or family member with our vendors that include: Early Bird Quilters, Wildlfower and  Pearl Lady jewelry, BZ Pet Delights, Horizons, LTD, Bishops Woodworking,  Red Dawg Nursery, Terrabella Plants, Kombi Garden Tool LLC, stained glass artisans, Sami the Cross Eyed Explorer (melted bottle windchimes and suncatchers), handmade coaster and plate/bowl stand artisans, Orrin Morris Fine Arts Studio and much more.

Also this year, children and adults will enjoy the Rockdale County Sheriffs Office K-9 Unit Demonstration at 1pm.  And again this year is the free child fingerprinting by the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office. Free nature crafts will be available for children to make and take home. Face painting will be available.

Back by popular demand is Chef Alain Bouzoubaa of Seven Gables restaurant presenting a cooking demonstration at noon titled "Fusion Melting Pot cuisine." New this year is a performance by Swagger Crew Fit Kids at 11am.

Hungry gardeners can pick up a Chick-fil-A sandwich for lunch and support the Rockdale 4-H Club by buying homemade baked goods.

For information call the Rockdale County Extension office at 770-278-7373.