Fall Flower and Garden Fest Oct. 11 & 12
Click here to see more Fall Flower and Garden Fest Photos The staff at the Truck Crops Branch Experiment Station is once again preparing for the annual Fall Flower & Garden Fest. It is one of the south’s most extensive fall vegetable and ornamental garden demonstrations. The station is the largest research facility dedicated to horticulture in the Mississippi State University system, encompassing 175 acres. Each year during the two-day fest, the grounds feature a vegetable and herb garden trial with more than 400 entries, all planted by maturity date for show and demonstrations during the October event. The garden is comprised of three acres of annual and perennial flowers, trees, and shrubs planted around a central gazebo. More than 5,000 visitors attend the event each year. With the addition of tour and school groups throughout the year, there are over 10,000 visitors annually. There are 25 seminars, walking tours, and demonstrations each day. With a variety of topics and tours, there is something for everyone. Whether your interest is in growing flowers for beauty, growing plants for food, or something else garden-related, it can be found at the flower and garden fest. Numerous plant, garden art, and outdoor furniture vendors will have items for sale. The large tent will house several tables where festival goers can find information on a variety of plant-related topics. Want to know what varieties of apples will grow in our state? Need help with growing blueberries or learning how to use plants for medicinal purposes? These are just a few of the topics that will be discussed. As always, the large tent will have a variety of vendors and information. Look for several of the states master gardener groups to be on-hand as well. Some sell a variety of seeds, some host plant swaps, and others will host the Butterfly and Shade Gardens. The Truck Crops Experiment Station is a short distance from Hwy. 51 in Crystal Springs at 2024 Experiment Station Road. Look for the signs from Hwy. 51 south of Crystal Springs. Festival hours are 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. both days. Printed schedules will be available at the information tent. Food vendors will be selling a variety of foods including rib-eye steak sandwiches, catfish, BBQ plates, chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs, and more. For dessert, there will be cookies, cakes, and sweet potato treats. The Chautauqua Garden Club will be selling treats and the Copiah County 4-H will serve hot and cold drinks all day. Admission and parking are free. Times and schedules can be found here.
