| EVENT REPORT 04.29.08 3:58 PM |
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| Garden Variety |
| For the National Gardening Association's third NYC Grows garden festival, the Vermont-based nonprofit filled the south end of Union Square with an array of plants and horticultural activities. |
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Even though having a garden is a luxury in this city, hundreds of consumers hit Union Square on Sunday to score free plants, tips, and other goodies at the National Gardening Association's NYC Grows garden festival. Planned by the Vermont-based nonprofit and co-hosted by the city's Department of Parks & Recreation, the public event recognized national garden month by bringing in 60 exhibitors, holding several demonstrations and seminars, and providing a range of horticultural-based entertainment.
On the rainy day, a couple of companies stood out amongst the array of tents. Presenting sponsor Target had the largest section, taking over the area in front of the George Washington monument with a place to decorate wooden birdhouses. Using paint, feathers, moss, faux fur, and other decorations supplied by the chain department store, hordes crowded at tables to customize their pieces. Over on the west side of the plaza, Target also set up a playground for kids featuring a lemonade stand and café area and two plots of grass for playing croquet. |
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PHOTO GALLERY |
 | Target's tent housed a birdhouse-decorating area.
Photo: BizBash |
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 | Target also created an area for kids, filling an outdoor section with tables, chairs, a lemonade stand, and plots of grass to play croquet on.
Photo: BizBash |
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 | Organic Valley marketed its produce from beneath a tent shaped like a milk carton.
Photo: BizBash |
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 | At the Horticultural Society's tent, visitors could make their own tea bags, choosing from a selection of dried herbs.
Photo: BizBash |
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 | Demonstrations and seminars took place every half hour and included speakers from Organic Gardening magazine, garden designer and Target consultant Sean Conway, and the chefs from the Tasting Room.
Photo: BizBash |
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 | According to Mike Metallo, president of the National Garden Association, the festival saw a 20 percent growth in exhibitors from last year. New this year was Nick Jr., which brought TV character Wubbzy to its booth.
Photo: BizBash |
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Promoting organic farming, Organic Valley attracted attention with a milk-carton-shaped tent, giveaways, and competitions. The bright red-and-white booth displayed wares in metal tubs, and company reps gave out branded bandannas to winners of a beanbag-tossing competition. And visitors to the Horticultural Society's tent could make their own tea bags, choosing from a selection of dried plants like lavender, chamomile, and fennel seeds.
—Anna Sekula
RELATED TOPICS
National Gardening Association, New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, Target, Horticultural Society of New York, Organic Valley
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