March Into Spring

Celebrate the arrival of spring with a morning full of lively activities, interactive learning, and unforgettable fun for all ages.

The Virginia Cooperative Extension - Hanover Master Gardeners invite local families and gardeners to celebrate the season at March Into Spring, a free, family-friendly garden festival on Saturday, March 21, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The event will be held at The Horticultural Learning Center, 13015 Taylor Park Complex Lane, Ashland, VA, with plenty of free parking available on-site. Designed for all ages, March Into Spring features interactive learning and hands-on activities to help the community step confidently into the growing season. Attendees can explore winter seed sowing with a practical focus: Hanover Master Gardeners will share what they learned from their own winter sowing in the garden, so home gardeners can apply those findings next year, along with a preview of what they plan to try in future seasons.Visitors can also stop by Cool Tools to see and compare a variety of gardening tools and get guidance on choosing the right tool for the right job, making spring projects easier and more successful. A hands-on demonstration of berry pruning with guided instruction will offer timely tips for home landscapes, and visitors can pick up a soil testing kit to support healthier planting decisions.For the kiddos, the Recycle N Grow activity teaches why biodegradable materials matter in the garden and how recycling can support healthier soil and less waste. Children will plant seeds in egg cartons to take home and grow.A tool sharpening service ($5 per tool) will be offered as a fundraiser to support the Hanover Master Gardeners’ and help expand future programs. Every tool we sharpen for attendees helps us keep growing community education programs and bring more hands-on learning opportunities to local families.”The event is weather permitting. For updates, including any last-minute changes due to weather, visit **https://hanovermastergardeners.org/** or find the Hanover Master Gardeners on Facebook.Virginia Cooperative Extension is a partnership of Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and local governments, and is an equal opportunity employer. For the full non-discrimination statement, please visit ext.vt.edu/accessibility.If you are a person with a disability and desire any assistive devices, services or other accommodations to participate in this activity, please contact Scot Furguson, Hanover Office at 804-752-4307 during business hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to discuss accommodations 5 days prior to the event.*TDD number is (800) 828-1120.