Growing Through GrowFest
By Brandon Reynolds, CGC Community Engagement Coordinator
GrowFest is most commonly described as a plant sale because, well, it is a plant sale—the longest-running plant sale in Cincinnati history, to be exact. Look closely, however, an you’ll find that GrowFest is a training ground for the community to gather and try new techniques, learn a few new plants and explore the gateway between humanity and the natural world.
My first GrowFest was in May 2022, when the sale was mostly online and still known as THE Plant Sale. The CGC posted the plant list online for folks to peruse and make their purchases, to be picked up later at Hauck Botanic Garden. While I knew a few of the plant species very well (like Black-eyed Susan, Blazing Star, Butterfly Weed, and Coneflower), the CGC's obsession with scientific names went over my head.
I remember having a pivotal conversation with Mary Dudley (now our Director of Education) about how I felt plants' scientific names were "too complicated" and that common names were more accessible for the average person to comprehend. As a self-proclaimed plant-geek, she said she appreciated having both the common and scientific names available because it allows her to make more informed decisions on the specific plant species she's seeking. I'll never forget our conversation because it sent me down the rabbit hole of learning the difference between native plants, cultivars and nativars. In other words, "American Beauties Echinacea 'Green Twister' Coneflower"—while it has the word "Echinacea" in its name—is not the same plant as the straight native species Echinacea purpurea.
At this point in my career, most of the plants I’d used came in gallon-sized pots because they (at least initially) provided a fuller look when planted. I had limited exposure to so-called "plugs" and was skeptical about their usefulness because they were so small. Nevertheless, I proceeded to reserve a U-Haul truck and purchase over 100 plants from the CGC, becoming their largest individual order for the 2022 sale—a badge of honor I deeply revered.
While the plugs may have started small, they more than quadrupled in size after only two months, with minimal watering. To my surprise, they performed better than every gallon-sized potted plant I'd ever purchased. I'm happy to report that I'm now a full believer in native plants, plugs and the biodiversity they inspire when given the space to showcase their full potential.
Why share these bits of personal trivia? Because while my story is unique, it also isn’t. GrowFest is, in my opinion, hands-down the best place to discover new plants, learn cool things and hang out with fellow plant lovers from around our great city and beyond. You never know what delightful and fascinating rabbit hole you’ll find yourself exploring.
How did you find your way to GrowFest, and what have you learned so far? What will you discover this year? I hope you’ll join us on Saturday, May 3 to find out!