FlowerFest 2008 to come to Ocean County Library

OnApril 4 and 5, the Ocean County Library, 101Washington St., will host Flowerfest 2008. It is the only springtime garden show in Ocean County scheduled for this year.

The two-day event will feature seminars, demonstrations, displays, art and photography exhibits and author presentations as well as crafts for adults and children. Prizes will also be distributed to people attending the show.

There will even be a "swap patch" where people can trade with others for gardening tools and gadgets as well as flower and vegetable seeds.

Areception with music provided by the Richard Reiter Swing Band will be held April 4.

BarbaraW. Ellis, former gardening editor for Rodale Press, along with New Brunswick author and editor Ray Rogers will also be on hand to talk about and autograph their books.

Ellis has written and edited several books, including "The Veggie Gardener's Answer Book," "The Organic Gardener's Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control," "Deckscaping," "Annuals," and "Perennials."

Rogers has written "Pots in the Garden" and is currently working on two other books for Timber Press, one about container gardening and the other about coleus plants.

Seminars being planned include creating floral arrangements, constructing and caring for different types of gardens, cooking with herbs, and photographing flowers.

Craft sessions for adults and children will be conducted April 5. Updated information will be available on the library's Web site, www.theoceancountylibrary.org.