McKinney -- Not to be deterred by the typical late-winter onset of chilly weather that native Texans often refer to as "the Easter spell," North Texas gardeners in a hurry to jump-start vegetable gardens and colorful flowerbeds flocked to Myers Park and Event Center in McKinney, Texas this past weekend for the third annual  Collin County Master Gardeners Association Garden Show.

The impressive list of vendors says a lot about how the Garden Show has developed in the three years since its inception.  Vendors ranged from Texas Olive Ranch (www.TexasOliveRanch.com) in Carrizo Springs, a scant 45 miles from the Rio Grande, all the way to Cypress Lake Ranch and Lavender Ridge Farms near Red River in North Texas.

Tom Bean's own Shady Bridge Farm (www.ShadyBridgeFarm.com) was on hand with wildflower honey, goat's milk and honey soaps and Lavender Ridge Farm's booth was brimming with aromatic handmade herbal soaps (www.LavenderRidgeFarms.com).

Sharon Reece of Cypress Lake Ranch (www.CypressLakeRanch.com) exhorted the many benefits of the relatively new aeroponic Tower Garden. Unlike typical gardening that utilizes soil or water mediums, the Tower Garden instead uses an air medium and periodically sprays plant roots with water and nutrients.

Not to be outdone, hometown favorite Collin County Feed & Seed displayed everything gardeners need, including several varieties of eight-inch tall tomato plants for $1.50.  If you missed the Garden Show, this interesting old-fashioned feed store is located in the shadow of the water tower in historic downtown McKinney. For more information, call Collin County Feed & Seed at 972-542-5011.

Collin County Master Gardeners Association Garden Show featured fascinating guest speakers, educational demonstrations, garden tours, and a children's discovery area to teach the next generation about ecology and conservation.

Myers Park and Event Center has a full slate of activities this spring.  To learn more, please contact Collin County Master Gardeners Association at www.ccmgatx.org or call 469-682-6375.

Sharon Reece of Cypress Lake Ranch in Fannin County stands beside an aeroponic Tower Garden she sells.

Wildflower honey booth of Shady Bridge Farm

The crew from Collin County Feed & Seed had everything a gardener needed, including several varieties of eight-inch tall tomato plants for $1.50.

This trolley shuttled visitors around Myers Park and Event Center

Additional photos from the Collin County Master Gardeners Association Garden Show will run in next
Monday's photo montage.