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7th Annual GardenFest slated June 7Oklahoma Bugs, bugs, bugs. These little creatures are an integral part of the theme for the 7th Annual GardenFest schedule June 7 at the Oklahoma State University Botanical Garden. This year's theme is "Insects and Gardens." The OSUBG is located at 3425 W. Virginia in Stillwater. Kim Rebek, host of the popular "Oklahoma Gardening" program, said GardenFest will celebrate the relationships forged between insects and plants in the garden. "I'm very excited about all of the events we have planned for this year's GardenFest. As host of 'Oklahoma Gardening,' part of my job is coordinating the planning of this great event," Rebek said. "With my background in both horticulture and entomology, I thought combining insects and gardens would be a fun and educational theme. GardenFest will be a great time for gardening enthusiasts and families to come out see the OSU Botanical Garden, as well as the 'Oklahoma Gardening' studio gardens." The 7th Annual GardenFest is free and will begin at 10 a.m., with keynote speaker and award-winning author Eric Grissell. He is a professional entomologist and amateur gardener who encourages gardeners to take a broader and more benign look at their gardens and the insects in them. His humorous and informative book "Insects and Gardens: In Pursuit of a Garden Ecology" won the Best Talent in Writing award from the Garden Writers Association. His presentation at GardenFest is entitled "Insects and Gardens: Time for a Truce." Following Grissell's presentation will be the dedication of the new Horticulture Resource Center. "The new Horticulture Resource Center is designed to serve as a contact point for consumers wanting plant, landscape, insect and disease information," said Dale Maronek, head of the department of horticulture and landscape architecture at OSU. "The HRC is designed to support the consumer horticulture program and its many collaborators in other departments. The center will be staffed by OSUBG Ambassador volunteers." "The HRC will be a wonderful resource for the public, as well as a resource for 'Oklahoma Gardening,'" Rebek said. "We're very fortunate to be able to offer all of this information in one location." There are a number of activities and demonstrations slated throughout the day, including honey tasting and hive observation. Barbara Brown, Extension food specialist and frequent guest on "Oklahoma Gardening," will present a cooking demonstration. The Sanborn Entomology Club will be hosting "Insect Cuisine" and offering GardenFest attendees samples of tasty insects to eat. Another fun feature of the 2008 GardenFest will be a special visit by the OSU Insect Zoo. "This is a wonderful family activity. The zoo allows people to get up close and personal with several impressive insects and other arthropods," Rebek said. Tami Krehbiel, studio gardens manager, will lead a special tour through the new design demonstration gardens. In addition, Eric Rebek, Extension entomology specialist, will share his expertise in attracting beneficial insects to the garden. Terri Roark, OSUBG Ambassador, will give a demonstration on cutting and arranging garden flowers. Because GardenFest is designed as a family event, there will be numerous children's activities offered, including an insect collection safari, caterpillar races, fingerprint insects, planting butterfly weed seeds and a special reading of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" in the Children's Theme Garden. "This year's GardenFest promises to be one of the best ever. This event is just one way we can say thank you to 'Oklahoma Gardening' viewers and provide an opportunity to showcase the beautiful landscape at the OSUBG," Rebek said. In the event of inclement weather, many outdoor activities will be canceled. Grissell's keynote address and select activities will take place indoors in the Educational Center. If rain is present early in the morning, please call 405-744-5404 for a recorded message pertaining to the cancellation of outdoor events.
Date: 5/30/08
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