Annual Festival at Maymont Park in Richmond, Virginia

Herb Festivals are a great place to find new herbs, herbal products, attend workshops and find new herbal inspiration. They are a true feast for the senses. Be sure to visit an herb festival on your herbal travels in 2011.

One popular gardening extravaganza in Virginia is Herbs Galore & More at Maymont Park in Richmond on the last Saturday in April every year. More than 50 plant and craft booths from the mid-Atlantic region offer a tremendous variety of quality herb plants, handmade herbal products and crafts, veggies, perennials and more. Workshops and classes offer a wonderful opportunity to learn more about growing and using your herbs. And it is just so much fun to meet other herb lovers! Fees vary for the classes and advance registration is advised. Several booths will tempt you to stop for snacks or lunch. I could not pass up the delicious wood-fired gourmet pizza.

Mark your calendar for the festival next year on Saturday, April 29, 2012, 8-4. There is a small admission fee. https://www.maymont.org/Page.aspx?pid=450

It was a gorgeous spring day when we headed out for an hour’s drive to the festival. Even though we arrived later than planned (don’t forget your GPS), there was plenty of free parking. This was my first visit to Herbs Galore and I was impressed to find such variety and quality. Everyone everywhere was carrying flats or pulling little red wagons loaded with plants. I quickly spotted one of my favorite hard-to-find plants – Dwarf Sage (Salvia officinalis ‘compacta’ or Nana’) – at the Lavender Fields Herb Farm booth. Sold! They are having an Herb Faire & Open House on May 13/14 from 9-5 where you will find over 200 varieties of USDA certified organic herb plants, free classes & demos. Be sure to make a reservation online at The Farm for Lunch ($15) and Afternoon Tea ($10). www.lavenderfieldsfarm.com. I definitely plan to be there.

While strolling through festive and colorful tents filled with fragrant herbs and handcrafts, Linda’s Garden booth of organic herbal blends, herbal vinegars and herbal

jellies caught my eye. Perhaps it was that her products reminded me of my own Meadowsweet products that I

sold at so many handcraft shows for so many years. https://www.lindasgarden.com/index.html Other booths offered luxurious herbal soaps and organic skincare products, planters overflowing with herbs, herbal teas,

tools, garden ornaments, bird/butterfly houses, pressed herbs,

pottery, and much more.

It was time for lunch and I “parked” my purchases at the Plant Check for $1.

Be sure not to miss the elegant Maymont Herb Garden and other specialty gardens on your visit. https://www.maymont.org/Page.aspx?pid=290

What a day! I can’t wait until my herb

al travels lead me to another herbal celebration. Where do you go on your herbal travels?