Green thumbs, novice plant growers welcome to annual Garden in the Park

The peak of the summer garden season is finally here.

To celebrate, the Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Allegheny County once again will host its free event for green thumbs and novice plant growers alike.

Garden in the Park will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 26 at the Penn State Extension Demonstration Garden, located on the corner of Babcock Boulevard and Wildwood Road in North Park.

“This event showcases the dedication and efforts of the Penn State Master Gardeners of Allegheny County to pursue the advocacy of science-based sustainable gardening practices to all people in the community,” said Virginia Catullo, a Master Gardener and event co-chair.

“Peak” refers to the height of the summer growing season for most of the plants — a time when they reach maximum potential flowering and growth, said Catullo of McCandless.

In the Pittsburgh area, summer flowers have reached maturity by the end of July and have yet to be battered by the August sun, which often is accompanied by a dry spell that stresses plants, according to event co-chair and Master Gardener Stephanie Szakal.

At North Park, trial beds with annuals are planted in late May or early June. This means they need a bit of time to take hold and flourish.

“They are just beginning to look really good right now and should continue to get better as we approach Garden in the Park. Of course, each section of the garden has its moments, but overall they tend to look really good in late July,” said Szakal of Pittsburgh.

The Garden in the Park event will offer something for all age groups and levels of gardening interest and experience.

The event will include talks on a variety of topics, such as “Adaptations for a Lifetime of Gardening,” “Herbs Make Garden Scents,” “Black Gold in the Garden,” “Pruners — Keeping them Healthy,” “Tick Talk” and “Picky Pollinators.” The talks will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the speaker’s tent.

There will be activities for children, and tours of the North Park Arboretum will be conducted by members of the Pine Creek Land Conservation Trust.

Finally, the Master Gardeners will offer complimentary scoops of Penn State Berkey Creamery ice cream to top off a sensory walk in the park, Catullo said.

The North Park garden features a monument to Army veterans who served in the 80th Division.

Visitors will discover an array of specialty gardens, including the Moon Garden, the Pollinator Gardens, the Herb Garden, the Herbal Tea Garden, the Sensory Garden, the Wet Garden, and the peaceful meadow behind the veterans memorial, according to Catullo.

The Master Gardener Program was started by Penn State Extension in 1982 and currently boasts more than 3,500 Master Gardeners across all 67 counties in Pennsylvania.

The Penn State Demonstration Garden in North Park was established in 1990. It includes trial beds, pollinator gardens, container gardens and an herb garden, as well as a composting area. The site is one of only two Penn State in-ground flower trials, in partnership with the Southeast Agricultural Research and Extension Center, where new and emerging plants are showcased throughout the summer months.

The annual Garden in the Park event provides an opportunity for the public to visit the gardens, ask questions and get ideas for their home gardens, especially regarding native plants, trees and shrubs, as well as information on battling pests and pathogens.

The Master Gardeners have celebrated the peak of the summer garden season with the Garden in the Park event for more than 10 years.

For details about Penn State Extension’s Master Gardener program, visit extension.psu.edu/programs/master-gardener/about.