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Gardeners Are Busier As Plant Sale Nears

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By FRAN GAMESTER

Special to the News & Tribune

Published: February 25, 2009

TOWN 'N COUNTRY - March 15 is the magic day. Historically, after that date there has never been a freeze in Tampa. The sap is running in the trees as they shake off their winter dormancy. Home gardeners have their own kind of "spring fever."

Around the Ides of March is when serious gardening gets under way before the heat of summer. Leaves have been raked, freeze-damaged plants can now be safely pruned, transplanting is taking place and new ideas for landscaping come to fruition.

In addition to planting in their own gardens, Town 'N Country Garden Circle members will be busy tending to plants for the circle's sixth annual plant sale, slated for April 19.

Plant sale chairwoman Aggie Pompeo is seeking plant donations from gardeners for the event. She is asking for donated plants that are in 3-gallon containers or smaller. The circle is looking for flowering plants, native plants and herbs.

Pompeo's motto is, "If it grows in our gardens, it will grow in your garden." To donate, e-mail her at apompeo @tampabay.rr.com.

Proceeds from the sale will be used for enhancements to Shimberg Gardens, which is next to the new Town 'N Country Commons at Paula and Ambassador drives.

The next meeting of the circle will feature master gardener Al Latina, who will talk on "Fun with Orchids."

The meeting will be at noon March 4 at the Town 'N Country Recreation Center, 6039 Hanley Road. Prospective members are welcomed. Call (813) 884-3462 for information.

The circle will follow up the meeting with a March 18 tour of Phelps Farms Orchids in Citrus Park.

The Tampa Federation of Garden Club Circles Inc. will host its annual free standard flower show, "What a Wonderful World," from 2 to 7 p.m. March 21 and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 22 at the Tampa Garden Club, 2629 Bayshore Blvd. The international-themed show will include horticulture exhibits of both popular specimens as well as rare plants.

The circle is one of 13 circles in the Tampa Garden Club. Several members of the circle will have entries in the show. Also, the circle will have horticulture displays from Alexander and Bellamy elementary schools' youth gardening classes.

The show is free and is being chaired by Kay Miller, past president of the Village Garden Circle in Carrollwood. For information about the event, call Kathy Echevarria at (813) 240-5272 or visit www.tampa gardenclub.com.

The writer is a member of the Town 'N Country Garden Circle.

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