The Central Ohio Home & Garden Show

It is officially February now and that means that it won’t be long now until the Central Ohio Home & Garden Show opens.
The show starts February 25 and runs till  March 4, 2012.
Saturdays 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sundays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Closed Mondays.
Tuesday – Friday 12 noon  to 9 p.m.

This year’s theme is Happy Birthday Columbus celebrating the bicentennial of the capital city.

This year’s floor plan is all new, including the 11 full-size, living landscapes. Always a show favorite, each garden will feature one of Columbus's greatest icons or landmarks that embrace the best of our city. Guests can talk one-on-one with gardening and landscaping experts about their own lawn and garden possibilities.

The show features more than 450 exhibits, attractions, and presentations. Spanning two weekends, the show prides itself on offering a plethora of gardening, landscaping, home improvement and home interior “experts” all in one place. Consumers who visit the show have the opportunity to shop for every imaginable tool, accessory and service for any home improvement or landscape project. The show will feature countless show-only deals and specials, offering guests the best pricing on everything imaginable for home and garden.

This year the main entertainment stage will be located in the center of the Bricker Building and surrounded by six showcase kitchens. Featured daily will be many local chefs from CORA, the Central Ohio Restaurant Association, who will be demonstrating their unique culinary skills as well as bite-sized samples for the show audience. Beyond breathtaking gardens, many attendees flock to the pros in the Home Improvement Expo, where one can shop for everything from a new roof, doors or windows to an extreme basement makeover.

Candice Olson, star of HGTV’s Candice Tells All and Divine Design, is set to appear at the show. Olson will share her design ideas with show guests on Saturday, March 3 from 1-2 p.m. on the Center Stage. Following her presentation, Olson will answer audience questions and will meet briefly with guests during an autograph session. I use to enjoy watching Candice but I do not go on HGTV anymore since they have no gardening shows.

 
Last years show was a little smaller based on the economy which makes it hard for the local nurseries and landscape companies here in Ohio. I am hoping for a better showing this year.
To see more or to get directions go to the Home & Garden icon on the left column of my blog.

A few pictures from last years event.

 

These little playhouses from last years event were just the sweetest things.

Also again this year I will be giving away tickets to some lucky gardeners so they can attend the Home & Garden Show.
Thank you Jamie!
All you have to do is email me asking for tickets and give me your address so I can get them in the mail to you.
All I ask is that you tell me that you are a follower of one of my blogs, A Hocking Hills Garden or Natures Scenic view.
I will be giving away 2 tickets each and it will be on a first come, first serve policy until they are gone.
So email me right away!

Happy Gardening,
Lona

Technorati Tags: Central Ohio Home & Garden Show,Columbus Ohio Bicentennial

Forcing Spring For Winter Color

 

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.

I love trying to force blooms for some winter color every year.
Over the years I have tried miniature irises and Paper Whites. The irises were lovely but needed planted in a deep dish to prevent flopping so it was not my best first effort but a learning experience. The Paper Whites were so beautiful but since some fragrances give me headaches the strong fragrance of the Paper Whites were just too much. I had to take them outdoors to get away from them.

After having good results from forcing Hyacinths before this year I am trying some hyacinths again.

After spending seven weeks in the refrigerator the bulbs were taken out and planted in a pot filled with white river rocks. They were watered slightly with a little fertilizer added to the water.

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Although the two bulbs were planted at the same time they are growing at different rates. I guess they are going to give me one bloom now and one more a little later. Which is fine with me since it will extend the blooming time.

Minos blue has a lovely bloom and the fragrance is just wonderful.
The other bulb is a Gipsy Queen and is a peach color.
Pictures to come later when it is in bloom.

The Alfresco Amaryllis is still blooming and I just love it sparkling white blooms.

 
Just a reminder for those of you who followed Robin from “Life in Robins Nest”, she lost her blog postings and they could not be recovered. Update your link to her new blog and add yourselves as followers …   here.
Thank you.

Do you force bulbs to give you winter color?

Happy Gardening Everyone,
Lona

 

Technorati Tags: Hyacinths,Bulb Forcing,Paper Whites

Bainbridge, Ohio Amish Community Part 2

Non Gardening related Posting.

This is part # 2 and the final posting on the Bainbridge, Ohio and its Amish and Mennonite community.

On state highway 41 south of Bainbridge is the location for JR’s  General Store & Farm Market.

The first thing you notice as you pull into the parking lot is …

the buildings and gazebos that are built and sold there. Would I love to have the building with the porch for a potting and garden shed. Put  in a couple of skylights in the roof, a heater and , well I could almost live there. LOL!

Also there are outdoor chairs and loungers in every color and design. These ones you never have to worry about painting or rotting. Notice the solar panel on the porch roof. No electricity in this store and its rooms.

Entering the front door and off to the right is furniture, birdhouses of every description, wind chimes and the cutest wooden hobby horses.

The store also caters to the locals with supplying like hats the men are famous for wearing. Heavy homemade brooms and even some tiny ones are on display. One of those may last me more than a year outdoors unlike the cheap ones I usually crab at the local Dollar Store.

 
One corner was stocked with every kind of bird feeder, birdbaths, butterfly houses and supplies.

Handmade baskets lined shelves and even little garden benches for the small ones or just for decorating.

But there were some bigger painted benches also for sale.

There were shelves of candles. Peach Cobbler is a wonderful scent but I think it would just make me hungry. LOL!

There were several walls of engraved and painted signs….

and a rack filled with the small signs that we women love sticking around on shelves or to display.

 
Candle or plates for displaying….

and beautiful plaques.

 
The Amish are known for there handcrafted furniture and the finish work on it is just beautiful. Mostly made of oak that will last for a lifetime.

I loved this china cabinet and it was already tagged ‘sold’.

 
On the other end of this building was another room which held the Farmers Market. I was so busy looking around that I forgot to get pictures of the market area. The store was lit with gas lights and it was amazing how much warmth came from the lights. On a cold day it did help to warm the store up.

In the Grocery store there was bulk food stuffs of every kind. Everything from fixings for those who are vegan to the sugar free products. There was meat and cheeses of every kind and the vegetables were cheap. I kept grabbing bags to throw in vegetables. Hey, when I can get two green peppers for .99 cents I am going to stock up. LOL! I grabbed up some sugar free goodies like black raspberry jelly. My daughter and I had our arms filled when we went to check out. The market was very busy with customers and we could soon see the reason why with all there was to offer at one location.

All in all Bainbridge is a great little town to go for a day trip with all of the sites and stores they have to offer.
We will be back this summer to tour all of the stores that were closed like the Trading Post Antique shop with its many buildings filled with items and hopefully to shop at Margie’s Craft Store.
I will have her digging out one of those snowmen. LOL!
Also then the lakes and state park will be a treat to walk around when the weather warms up and everything is green once more.
So all of you Ohioans plan to visit and spend the day at these little out of the way gems in Bainbridge in Ross County. Take state highway 50 from Chillicothe and enjoy the country side on the way there. The town is filled with grand old buildings like the Lloyd Company and old stone homes.

Everyone have a great weekend!
Lona

Technorati Tags: Bainbridge Ross County Ohio,Amish Community,JR's General Store & Farm Market.

 

Bainbridge, Ohio Amish Community Part 1

 

Non garden related posting.

Amish communities and the people in Ohio now out number those of Pennsylvania.
In the rural community of Bainbridge, Ohio in Ross county along state route 41 lies a small Amish community that many may not know about.

My daughter and I went there last weekend before the ice storm hit us and we were not expecting all of the quaint gems that we would find on our visit to Bainbridge.

There we found Country Crust Bakery which when we walked into the aroma was heavenly.

We had to take a number and get in line behind the local deputy sheriff to buy our purchases.
There are counters of doughnuts, brownies, breads, cakes and cookies. The bakery is run by giant generators and the lights run on gas.

I always have to get Snicker doodles for my son. He loves their cookies.

I got the best sugar free Black Raspberry pie. Yummy!

In the town of Bainbridge their is Margie’s Craft Store. We checked on the store twice since the opening hours were 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. but it was not open either time. It was loaded with crafts and I would have loved to get one of the snowmen. Margie you missed a sale girl!

In Bainbridge is the Museum of Dentistry. The small house in  Bainbridge holds the honor of the first school for dentistry in the state of Ohio.

    On Main street in Bainbridge is “The Lloyd Company”. The owner told me that it was a third generation family owned store.
The Lloyd  Company has four large rooms filled with…

beautiful living rooms furniture, carpeting, curtains and accessories.

Bedroom furniture and accessories. I am always draw to bears. LOL!

The show windows are filled with primitive accessories.

Seasonal floral, crafts and accessories.

 
I loved this pinecone wreath.

 
And gorgeous dining room furniture dressed in red for Christmas.

 
Stacking boxes.

Their line of curtains and table linens were lined on the walls and shelves in the furniture section of the store.

Cabinets filled with crockery and tin ware.

 
Splatter ware filled shelves of cabinets.

Since I decorate in blues and whites this blue and white splatter ware really got my attention.

We were glad that we had run across these unexpected stores filled with charm and history on our way to the Amish community outside of Bainbridge.


Also nearby are the Sepia Indian mounds and Paint Creek state park and there are several lakes in the area.
so make plans to visit these rural gems this summer or on your way through on route 50.
They also hold the Festival of Leaves in October when the hills should be beautiful dressed in their autumn splendor.

 

Also in Bainbridge is the “Trading Post'” antique shop which was also closed so a summer visit back to Bainbridge is in store for us for an all day visit.

Since I took loads of pictures I will save the rest for part 2 in another posting.

Though this is not a garden related posting….
Happy Gardening,
Lona

Technorati Tags: Bainbridge Ross County Ohio,The Lloyd Company,Country Crust Bakery,Margie's Crafts,Amish Community