Youngstown Garden Club readies for growing season

Plant-O-Rama and Miyawaki method forest programs announced

Submitted by Colleen Mary Johnson-Summerville // Youngstown Garden Club

The Youngstown Garden Club invites you to attend two great events in June. First is our third annual Plant-O-Rama 2025 on Saturday, June 7. It takes place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Youngstown Village Center located at 240 Lockport St.

Centered on the garden club's traditional annual perennial plant sale, Plant-O-Rama is evolving to become a signature spring festival in our region, celebrating the beginning of the growing season. With a focus on a plant-friendly environment, many components of Plant-O-Rama align with this theme while promising a fun, family-friendly experience.

The plant sale will offer several varieties of native pollinator plants along with a typical array of garden favorite perennials, herbs and beautiful annual hanging baskets. There will be free activities for children with face-painting by Jazzy Sparkle with Ruth Ceretto, a “Flower Power” chalk walk, rock painting and plant-a-pot.

The Youngstown Marketside will be open with food and beverages for sale, and music will be provided by Andrea & Me (11 a.m. to noon and 12:30-1:30 p.m.). Andrea & Me are Andrea Zaccarella and Robert Johnson, a professional acoustic duo from the area performing music from the ’60s through present day. In addition, adults can sign-up to make a French bouquet and take home a beautiful arrangement. To reserve your spot, contact me at 716-531-6701 (soon, as spots are limited).

The garden club’s second event is the Miyawaki method forest at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 11, at the Youngstown Presbyterian Church, 100 Church St. This program is presented by Alexis (Lexi) Dellinger, a fourth-year environmental sciences student at Niagara University, with oversight by her professor and mentor, Dr. Cassandra Marnocha.

The Youngstown Garden Club envisions a multiyear project for developing a Miyawaki method forest in our village and/or town, which will utilize plants from Southern Ontario, a rare Carolinian Forest zone, of which we are a part.

What is the Miyawaki method forest and why is it unique? Miyawaki forests are:

•Dense, multi-layered ecosystems; they are quickly established in 20-30 years, versus 200 years of natural forest succession;

•Maintenance-free after the first two-three years. Miyawaki forests can be created on backyard sites as small as 32 square feet; and

•The forests are a combination of native plants best suited to any given planting site.

 Potential benefits include increased biodiversity, air and water purification; green space replenishment; and an emphasis on community through planting and stewardship. The Miyawaki forest method builds a keen sense of place and provides a connection to nature and the environment. It provides ecotourism opportunities, potentially boosting local economies.

Lexi’s presentation will focus on the first phase: feasibility. Future NU students will follow-up with planting, implementation, soil analysis and readiness, research and evaluation; plus studying the economic benefits and climatic impact of this forest.

Immediately following this event, there will be a short presentation by the Niagara Area Foundation, which will discuss grants available to nonprofits and how to apply for them. For more information on either events, contact me at 716-531-6701 or visit www.facebook.com/youngstowngardenclub/.