Special to the Eagle Members of the Pine Island Garden Club will welcome gardening enthusiasts this weekend when they present the ninth annual Garden Gala.

A horticulturists dream come true is how members of the Pine Island Garden Club describes this year’s ninth annual Pine Island Garden Club Garden Gala. Staged at the Garden Club Nature Park just north of the center on Stringfellow Road, this year’s event promises to be bigger and better than ever. The park will teem with vendors, demonstrations and a host of other activities suitable for all family members.

“As in past years, the day of the gala will be filled with the chance to peruse the varied plant vendors. These vendors are always happy to answer any questions about the plants you purchase or plants you already own,” said event committee member, Claudia Binter. “Those visiting the event also will find artwork, a white elephant that is even bigger than last year, horticulture demonstrations, our fabulous raffle, food and much more. We encourage everyone to join us for a most enjoyable day on Pine Island.”

The Garden Gala will take place on Saturday, Feb. 27, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and admittance is free. This year, the Garden Club is please to have commitments for the event from an astounding 51 vendors which include Pelican Coast Orchids, Pine Island Tropicals, the Boy Scouts, FISH, Pine Island Civic Association, Deb Luten Suncatchers, Pine Island Spice, Paradise Gardens, Michael Spano Garden Items, Gourmet Pre-packaged Food, Karen’s Kreations, Hobo Bob, Florida in a Jar, Hand-painted Flower Pots and Funky Purses, Hand-painted T-shirts and Note Cards, Mosaics, Baskets, Gemstone Classics, T&L Enterprises Orchids and more, Little Lilly’s Island Deli, Watercolors by Kathleen Hecksher, Hand-painted Glass and Clay Vases, Shell Arrangements, Painted Hats and Visors, Butterfly Hair Clips, Stained Glass, Beaded Jewelry, Larimer’s Exotic Gardens, Our Vital Earth, Elting’s Exotic Plants, Gardinos Nursery, Butterfly and Hummingbird Plants, Calusapalm Liners, Tadewinds Signature Botanicals, Fruitscapes, Painted Garden Stones, From Our Hearts, Deep South Natives, Valkaria Gardens, Colorfields and many more.

The gala also will offer ample opportunities to learn more about gardening and caring for native and exotic vegetation. At 9 a.m., Anne Pidgeon, from Colorfield Farms will present “Container Gardening with Culinary Herbs” and then at 10 a.m. Rick Joyce from Deep South Native Nursery will speak on the subject of “Water-Wise Native Plants” that can easily be grown in the yards of Pine Island homes. Then at 11 a.m., join Carolynn Littleton from the Pine Island Garden Club for Butterflies Love Natives” and next, at noon, Donna Cook from the Pine Island Garden Club will present a lecture “No Flowers Allowed” by creating arrangements with readily available foliage and plant material. Round out the lectures at 12:45 p.m. will be Bernie Moro from Our Vital Earth who will present “Turning Garbage into Plant Food” as he demonstrates who this can be done without the use of chemicals, fertilizers, insecticides and fungicides.

One of the biggest draw to the event will be an extraordinary Garden Club raffle. During the day of the gala tickets will be on sale and the drawing for several prizes will take place at 1:30 p.m.

Items to raffled include a 32-inch Vizio Eco LCDH Flat Screen TV, a Travel Basket containing a two-night stay for two at the award-winning, historic Tarpon Lodge in Pineland and a trip for two to Cabbage Key aboard the Bokeelia Lady; a $250 gift certificate from Winn-Dixie; a Garden Wheelbarrow filled with a hand-woven double walled garden basket, with garden gloves, garden tools, seeds, a set of Katie Brown copper plant markers, Thai Hybrid Euphorbias plant, a True Temper six cubic foot wheelbarrow, mulch and a Queen palm. Also up for grabs will be a Spa Basket containing a hand-woven basket, spa products valued at $75, a $25 gift certificate for Center of Attention Day Spa, a cut and styling at Angles, lunch at Little Lilly’s Island Deli and a manicure and pedicure at April’s Island Nail Salon. Other items include a hand-painted rain barrel; a watercolor of a rose; an original painting; a Pine island Garden Club Basket with a shirt, cap, coffee cup, book by Pam Crawford and a Christmas palm; onyx and silver earrings, a Cocktail Basket with wine, snacks and a pound of large shrimp, a seven-gallon Sylvester palm; necklace and earring set, a Wine Basket and four watercolor prints.

Tickets for the raffle items are just $5 each and the winners need not be present to win.

Proceeds from the event will benefit charities supported by the Pine Island Garden Club and for more information, call 283-8633 or 283-9844 or visit pineislandgardenclub.org.