The Texas Thyme Unit (TTU) of the Herb Society of America (HSA) will be hosting the annual Herb Festival from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 23, at the Wynne Home Arts Center.
The festival will offer a large selection of culinary herbs and plants from area greenhouses and local gardens. Many TTU members are Walker County Master Gardeners (WCMG) who propagate these plants in their home gardens while also maintaining multiple greenhouses and gardens at the Texas A&M Ag Extension Office on Tam Road.
This is the 11th year for TTU to organize the event independently. One of the central attractions is their pass along varieties, also known as legacy plants. These have been cultivated by group members for many years for the express purpose of sharing them with the public and raising funds to continue their public education efforts. They will also be selling gardening tools and signature body care products along with other vendors offering additional plants, bulbs, and herbal remedies.
The bulk of sale items are culinary herb plants such as dill, parsley, rosemary and basil. Unique strains of sage and mint and other special varieties and flavors will be available, which should draw an interest from home cooks and culinary professionals, as well as, veteran and novice gardeners. They will also offer native ornamental perennials and annuals. Many of these plants are not readily available in retail stores, making them a coveted addition to spring gardens all around Texas.
The TTU and WCMG members each hold a wealth of information on how to grow plants that are beautiful, beneficial to the environment, and those that can boost your health. They take great pride in offering this event to the community and welcome those who are curious about gardening to ask questions and consider joining their efforts.
TTU works year round at the Wynne Home to maintain the Ella Ruth Herb Garden, the Memorial Rose Garden, and the Children’s Garden, which they established to beautify the landscape and provide a living example of what you can grow in our region for medicinal and culinary use. Two of their dedicated members were recently informed that they will be recognized for their efforts.
“We are very proud to announce that two members of the Huntsville Herb Society will receive national awards for excellence in horticulture and education this summer. Maryann Readal and Rhonda Hanks will be honored in June at the Herb Society’s Educational Conference in Philadelphia.
Readal will receive the Nancy Putnam Howard Award for Excellence in Horticulture. She has served in many capacities at the national and local level, writing for the HSA blog and annual journal and serving as the National Secretary and editor of HSA News.
Hanks will receive the Madalene Hill Award for Excellence in Herbal Education. She initiated the Herbs Behind Bars program in conjunction with the Texas Department of Corrections and Scooter Langley, to foster the planning, cultivation and use of fresh culinary herbs. Both Maryann and Rhonda are well-known for their presentations about herbs and plants to community groups in Huntsville and the surrounding area. Congratulations to these two stellar members of Huntsville’s herbal community,” said TTU Member and WCMG Susan Sanders.
TTU is dedicated to promoting the use, education and delight of herbs.
They meet at 10 a.m. on the fourth Wednesday of every month at the Wynne Home Arts Center, located at 1428 11th Street. They also host several free classes each year at Huntsville Public Library. For more information about TTU, follow them at www.facebook.com/texasthymeunit.
