Enjoy Garden Market, workshops at Edison & Ford Winter Estates

Throughout the Edison & Ford Winter Estates public gardens and under the banyan tree, the Estates Garden Shoppe will be selling unique tropical heritage plants and trees and will be joined by several dozen south Florida vendors for the Edison Garden Market on June 13. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Gardeners will be delighted at this one-stop shopping for unique garden items, including flowering trees, unusual tropical plants and fruits, bougainvillea, orchids, roses, bromeliads, palms, cactus, herbs, bonsai, bamboo, fruit, ginger and butterfly plants as well as garden art, honey, and gardening supplies. In addition, there will be a demonstration of painted rain barrels by Southwest Florida artist Marie Dyer and sale of garden art.

At 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., the Estates' horticulturalist, Debbie Hughes, will be offering a workshop,

"Summer Planting of Tropical Heritage Trees." Summertime is the best time of year to plant trees in Southwest Florida. Participants will learn the basics of planting heritage trees such as the ylang ylang, banyan, calabash, tung oil, bo, poinciana and sausage trees in their own backyard. Trees will be available for purchase in the Estates Garden Shoppe.

The event and workshops are free to the public. Visitors can stroll the Edison Heritage Garden, take a photo with the recently installed Mina Edison statue and visit the Estates' new water garden and butterfly area, "A Bouquet for Mrs. Edison," located in the public garden.

The Estates is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. For more information, call 334-7419 or visit www.efwefla.org.