There is a lot happening at Hornbaker Gardens the end of this month and into September. Our conifer sale runs August 28th and 29th, with fifty percent off evergreens throughout the nursery. Take a look at the flyer below for details. Mark your calendar for our Artisan Market on September 19th, we would love for you to join us. Mums and fall annuals are arriving the end of this week, so stop by to see what's fresh. And if your garden beds need some attention before fall settles in, our yard cleanup service can help with the weeding, mulching, and general tidying. Read on for all the details.

Hornbaker Gardens Artisan Market

The 13th annual Artisan Market at Hornbaker Gardens will take place on Saturday, September 19 from 10am to 4pm. The artists and the live music stage are set up exclusively in the grassy parkway area of the garden center. The art market will welcome 40 fine artists selling their original work in mediums including jewelry, pottery, painting, fiber, leather, mixed media, metal, photography, drawing, woodworking, and glass. Dawn and Ray Lovell plan to have their pottery wheel available to offer some hands-on experiences. Wendy Allaman is a lampworker and she will be blowing glass in her log cabin trailer. Jacqueline Hughes, fiber artist, will demonstrate thread painting.

New this year, we welcome Divine Designs by Gretchen with her mobile henna body art studio. Also, The Unique Twist will be here making unusual and unique balloon creations for folks of all ages.

Plans for the day include delicious food and drink options. There will be August Hill wine, craft beer, and fresh-picked local produce from Hungry World Farm. Brakers’ Dozen, Ms. Mint's Pop Shop and Milestone Bakery will have sweet treats. Lunch options will be available from Golden Rice, the Princeton High School Music Boosters, Rossy’s BBQ, and Tony’s Tacos.

A popular interactive art experience will be back again this year. Market guests can contribute to the creation of a mosaic mural titled “Tree of Life”, designed by Princeton, Illinois artist Dave Taylor. Dave will also be selling his mixed-media artwork at Booth #9. Participants will receive a pattern, a blank square, and everything needed to complete their small artwork. The mural will come together piece-by-piece throughout the day and be installed at the garden center. Be sure to check out completed murals from previous years hanging on the side of our machine shop under the large Osage orange pergola.

Please follow the directions of our parking attendants when you arrive. Golf cart shuttles are available for those needing a ride. If you are able, it’s a beautiful walk through the garden center to the market. We have some designated accessible parking spaces in the garden center for those that will find a golf cart ride too difficult.

We truly enjoy this opportunity to host fine artists in our gardens and encourage you to come out and support the arts. Many of the artists can take a credit card, but for some it’s helpful if you bring cash. Stay up to date on all the details by following the Artisan Market at Hornbaker Gardens Facebook page. We will be sharing a map of the event on that page a few days before the big day.

Late summer gardens need a little help looking their best, and that is exactly what our yard cleanup service is for. We handle the weeding, the mulching, and all the general tidying that keeps your beds looking sharp through the rest of the season. Whether your garden got away from you during the busy summer months or you just want it refreshed before fall, our crew can take care of it. Reach out to schedule your cleanup.

Fall color is arriving at Hornbaker Gardens. Our mums will be here late this week in a full range of rich autumn shades, perfect for porches, planters, and garden beds that need a refresh as summer winds down. We are also bringing in fall annuals to help you carry color through the cooler months ahead and refresh your porch pots. Stop by to see what just arrived and find the right mix for your space.