Henderson County, NC
What’s better than a Blue Ridge Mountain weekend getaway? A mountain trip that offers plenty of shopping opportunities to stock up on spring annuals, perennials, and vegetable and herb plants. Hendersonville once again hosts Garden Jubilee on Memorial Day weekend, May 28-30.
Last year, the event was renamed Garden Jubilee Nurseries & Orchards Tour and shifted from a downtown gathering to a countryside tour of nurseries and orchards. Brought about by the pandemic, the change received overwhelming approval. This year’s Garden Jubilee blends the tour concept with a revamped Main Street experience, scaled back for social distancing.
The new town-and-country format takes place Friday to Sunday, with the downtown portion available Saturday and Sunday. Main Street will be considered one of 15 stops on the tour.
“People loved the tour aspect last year, and we think it will be more appealing this year when combined with the traditional downtown experience,” says Karen Baker with Hendersonville tourism. “Folks can start anywhere on the tour they wish.”
Garden centers and nurseries will sell annuals, perennials, shrubbery, herbs, trees, vegetables and hard-to-find plants. Orchards will offer produce, jams, jellies, honey, cider and baked goods. Nurseries and orchards will also host vendors selling garden accessories, crafts and additional plants.
Meanwhile, Hendersonville’s vibrant Main Street returns to the mix with smaller booths and a tripling of space between vendors. Attendees can shop for small plants, lawn and garden items, and crafts, while taking advantage of more than two dozen restaurants downtown.
“We want to expand on the success that was 2020,” says Debi Smith, chair of the Henderson County Tourism Authority. “It really opened our eyes to a new and better way to welcome gardeners and plant lovers to Hendersonville for Memorial Day weekend.”
Lots of people opted to stay overnight, or even two nights, last year to visit multiple nurseries and orchards. Smith, who works in the lodging industry at Cascades Mountain Resort, says many area hotels and bed-and-breakfasts provide space for guests to keep their new plants indoors.
Tour hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. all three days. Downtown hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday only.
