Edmond Plant Party kicks off gardening events in Oklahoma with food trucks, plant experts

• There will be a plant party at Mitch Park in Edmond on June 8 where gardeners can swap plants and mingle.
• Participants can learn about Kitchen Scrap Gardening in two free events hosted by the Metropolitan Library System.

All thumbs, green or not, are welcome at an Edmond plant party this weekend, event organizer Shelby Pearson confirmed. The event is one of several in June open to all gardeners, no matter their level of experience.

The Plant Party holds a chance to mingle with other gardeners and for attendees to bring plants to swap. The party will be 1 to 5 p.m. June 8 in Mitch Park, 1501 W. Covell Rd in Edmond.

While house plants, veggies, and flowers are all welcome to swap, there will also be some plants for sale. Expert gardeners will be on hand to answer plant-related questions and plant doctors will be ready to repot and assist ailing plants.

"Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just beginning to explore the joys of cultivating your own green oasis, this event is tailor-made for you," Pearson said. "No matter your level of expertise, everyone is warmly welcomed to our free plant swap. Bring along your beloved plants for exchange and discover new treasures to adorn your garden."

The free event also will feature kids' activities, face painting, vendors and food trucks.

"Delight your little ones at our paint and plant station, where they can unleash their creativity on flower pots and sow the seeds of their imagination to take home," Pearson said.

Cooking with plants in mind

There are also two opportunities to learn about gardening with kitchen waste through Kitchen Scrap Gardening events. Both are free to participate. The first event is 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. June 8 at the Luther Library, 310 NE 3rd Street in Luther.

The second event will be 1 to 2 p.m. June 11 at the Downtown Library, 300 Park Avenue.

Both presentations will include ways to garden on a budget and reduce waste by using items you may already have at home. Scrap gardening may be a good option for first-time gardeners because of its accessibility and low cost.

How to pick your plants with pollinators in mind

For more information about plant selection and habitat creation, a Planting for Pollinators event will be 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. June 8 at the Edmond Library, 10 S Boulevard. There is no cost for this event, however participants must sign up before 1:30 p.m. on June 8. This event will discuss ways to make the garden a pollinator-friendly habitat. Participants will learn about nectar as well as specific host plants that pollinators love. This event will also have information on how to attract more butterflies and bees.

Myriad Gardens to host hummingbird event

People can also make their own Hummingbird Sun Catchers and go on a guided hike from 10 to 11 a.m. June 8 at the Children's Garden in the Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave. The cost for this interactive event is $10 per person, which lowers to $8 for Myriad Gardens members. The sun catchers are colorfully beaded hangings that include a hummingbird-shaped pendant for windows or other light-catching spaces. On the guided hike, participants will learn about the kinds of plants that hummingbirds like best.

Hummingbirds begin to return to Oklahoma in the spring. The Oklahoma Audubon Society recommends placing feeders out in mid-April to feed these travelers and maintaining the feeders until late October when they fly south again.

This month, the Myriad Gardens will also have an event for salad lovers. Growing Your Own Microgreens is a 6 to 7 p.m. June 13 class in the Terrace Room at the gardens. Cost for nonmembers is $15 per person while member cost is $12. Attendees must sign up online by June 10 to learn about the life of a microgreen from seed to salad at the event. There will be information on how to care for, harvest, and prepare these tiny greens.