PA Herb and Garden Festival

PA Herb and Garden Festival Annual Festival promoting and educating the public on growing and using herbs along with everything related to gardening.

05/25/2026

I used to pull these without thinking twice 😅 Now I look a little closer first:
🌸 Violets are native wildflowers in many areas, not just “lawn weeds.”
🦋 They support fritillary butterflies, which use violet leaves as host plants.
🌿 They do well in shady spots where grass often struggles.
💧 Once settled, they usually don’t need much attention.
✂️ If they spread too much, I just thin them instead of wiping them out completely.
I don’t let them take over every bed, but I do think they deserve a little more credit.

05/24/2026

The honeybee gets the attention. These eight do most of the work.

Native bees pollinate earlier in spring, fly in cooler weather, and visit flowers honeybees skip entirely. Most of them nest in the ground or in hollow stems — not in hives. Most of them can't sting you. And most of them are in your yard right now without you knowing it.

The metallic green one on the coneflower is a sweat bee. The one cutting perfect circles from your rose leaves is a leafcutter. The large one hovering near the deck is a carpenter bee — and the males can't sting at all.

Natal plum is an easy-to-grow, spiny, evergreen, perennial shrub with dense, leathery, green leaves, fragrant, white flo...
05/21/2026

Natal plum is an easy-to-grow, spiny, evergreen, perennial shrub with dense, leathery, green leaves, fragrant, white flowers and showy, edible, red fruits. It is a member of the dogbane family (Apocynaceae) native to tropical East Africa. It has naturalized in Florida, Texas, and parts of Asia.

Galphimia gracilis, commonly called Slender Goldshower or Gold Shower, is a tropical flowering shrub valued for its deli...
05/18/2026

Galphimia gracilis, commonly called Slender Goldshower or Gold Shower, is a tropical flowering shrub valued for its delicate green foliage and clusters of bright yellow flowers that bloom over a long season. Native to Mexico and Central America, it attracts butterflies and pollinators while adding vibrant color to landscapes and gardens. This drought-tolerant plant thrives in full sun and well-drained soil and grows best in USDA Hardiness Zones 9–11, where it can bloom nearly year-round in warm climates.

05/13/2026

Orchids are among the world’s most fascinating flowering plants. Many orchids grow high in trees in tropical forests, where their thick, exposed aerial roots cling to bark rather than soil. These roots are capable of absorbing rain, humidity, and nutrients from the air while also protecting the plant from drying out. The exposed roots also help orchids breathe and anchor themselves securely to branches as they reach for filtered sunlight. Orchids are one of the largest plant families on Earth, with over 25,000 species ranging from tiny delicate blooms to spectacular flowers with intricate shapes and fragrances designed to attract specific pollinators. Some orchids can live for decades, blooming year after year with proper care, making them enduring symbols of elegance, resilience, and natural wonder.

Colocasia esculenta 'Mojito' is one of the most dramatic elephant ear plants grown today. Its giant lime-green leaves ar...
05/12/2026

Colocasia esculenta 'Mojito' is one of the most dramatic elephant ear plants grown today. Its giant lime-green leaves are splattered with dark purple and black blotches, making every leaf look hand-painted — no two are exactly alike.

Interesting facts:
It was discovered as a unique mutation in Florida in the 2000s.

It belongs to the taro family, the same species used for edible taro roots, though ‘Mojito’ itself is ornamental and toxic if eaten.

Unlike many tropical plants, it actually loves very wet soil and can even grow near ponds or boggy areas.

In warm climates it can reach 4–5 feet tall, creating a jungle-like effect.

The stems often develop pink or burgundy tones that add even more color contrast.
Its leaves usually droop downward, a classic trait of Colocasia plants.

Growing conditions:
Loves heat, humidity, rich soil, and lots of water.
Prefers sun to partial shade.
Grows especially well in Florida and other subtropical climates.

It combines the huge tropical look of elephant ears with the unpredictable speckled patterning of an orchid or exotic painted leaf plant, making it a standout centerpiece in gardens and containers.

05/10/2026

One of the most satisfying gardening moments is realizing:

You usually don’t need to buy more plants.

You can often make them yourself.

A single healthy stem cutting can become an entirely new plant with nothing more than:
• water
• light
• patience
• and a clean pair of scissors

And once people discover propagation…
gardening suddenly starts feeling a little bit like magic.

Here’s why many soft-stemmed flowers root so well in water:

Plants contain dormant cells near nodes — the points where leaves attach to stems. Under the right conditions, those cells can transform into roots.

That’s why most successful cuttings include:
• at least one node underwater
• several inches of stem
• healthy, non-woody growth
• removed lower leaves

And interestingly, younger soft growth usually roots faster than older woody stems.

A few helpful propagation tips:

• Change water regularly
Fresh water helps reduce bacterial growth and stem rot.

• Bright indirect light works best
Too much harsh sun can stress cuttings before roots develop.

• Remove flowers if possible
Blooms consume energy the cutting could otherwise use for root production.

• Don’t rush transplanting
Wait until roots are well-developed before moving to soil.

• Expect some trial and error
Some cuttings root in days. Others take weeks. A few simply refuse because plants enjoy humbling gardeners occasionally.

And one fascinating thing about plant propagation:

Many ornamental plants sold commercially are genetically identical clones propagated from cuttings.

That gorgeous hydrangea, lantana, verbena, or salvia at the nursery may have started as a tiny stem clipped from a mother plant years ago.

Gardeners have been multiplying plants this way for centuries because it preserves:
• flower color
• growth habit
• fragrance
• bloom performance

Seeds can vary wildly.
Cuttings create copies.

Which means one healthy plant can quietly become:
2 plants…
10 plants…
or an entire garden shared with friends.

Sources:
• Royal Horticultural Society — Stem Cutting Propagation
• Missouri Botanical Garden — Plant Propagation Basics
• University of Minnesota Extension — Propagating Plants from Cuttings
• NC State Extension — Rooting Softwood Cuttings
• American Horticultural Society — Plant Propagation Principles

05/10/2026

Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms out there!

Female hummingbirds are small, yet mighty independent. From constructing the nest over the span of a couple days, to then incubating the eggs around the clock, the females do it all with little to no help from the males. Even after the eggs hatch, the females are still the ones solely responsible to care for their young, and will continue to do so for up to a month until they fledge from the nest. She may even start the process all over again with a new brood within the same nesting season.

(Female Anna's Hummingbird | Calypte anna)

📸Photo credit: Mike Ashbee

African Iris, also known as the Fortnight LilyThe African Iris, often called the Fortnight Lily, is a tough, clump-formi...
05/09/2026

African Iris, also known as the Fortnight Lily

The African Iris, often called the Fortnight Lily, is a tough, clump-forming flowering plant native to eastern and southern parts of South Africa and nearby regions. It belongs to the iris family but grows more like an ornamental grass.

The nickname 'fortnight lily' comes from its blooming habit. The plant often sends up fresh flowers roughly every two weeks during warm weather. Each bloom lasts only a day or two, but the plant produces many flower stalks over a long season.

Long, narrow, sword-like evergreen leaves form dense upright clumps about 2–4 feet tall.

The flowers are delicate and flat with intricate markings that guide pollinators.

African iris thrives in warm subtropical and tropical climates.

USDA Zones 8–11

Celebrate National Iris DayTropical Iris - ReginaPeople describe the 'Regina' as “orchid-like” because the flowers have...
05/08/2026

Celebrate National Iris Day
Tropical Iris - Regina
People describe the 'Regina' as “orchid-like” because the flowers have many of the visual traits associated with tropical orchids rather than the flatter, more structured look of traditional irises.

The comparison comes from layered ruffled petals,
intricate color patterns, contrasting violet, white, yellow, and burgundy tones, and a complex central structure that resembles an orchid’s lip and throat.

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York Expo Center Memorial Hall
York, PA
17404

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+17174332776

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