A first-of-its-kind Garden Extravaganza will kick start the garden season in Pocahontas County.

From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, the Extravaganza will be open at the Expo Center, sponsored by the Pocahontas County Master Gardeners and Iowa State University Extension.

The event will offer 17 displays, and presentations will be held throughout the day featuring pruning tips, arbor building, weed and insect control, container gardening, new plants for 2007, garden decor and other topics.

Tickets are $2.

The Master Gardeners is a newly formed group through ISU Extension. The people involved took the classes last fall, said Kathy Hendrie. ‘‘They felt that area gardeners would benefit from a garden show and would be excited for he opportunity to learn and be able to discuss gardening one-on-one with experienced gardeners.”

At 10:30 a.m., Rick Lamoureaux, of Earl May Nursery and Garden Center in Fort Dodge, will discuss weed and insect control, and at 11:30 a.m., Kyle Scheidegger, of the Pocahontas County Conservation Board, will demonstrate how to prune trees and shrubs.

Dean Lieb and his wife, Pat, of Pocahontas will set up a display of their handiwork — he makes big arbors out of treated wood or pine, and she makes little arbors for climbing plants out of the redosier hedge in their lawn.

“I like to build stuff, and my wife has lots of gardens,” Lieb said. “Over the years, we’ve moved and at different homes I’ve built a deck or something in the yard. It’s kind of my hobby.”

He said the redosier arbors made by Pat “can be used in the house or out in the garden or up against a building. She just forms it and ties it together. She also makes stars in different sizes, from 8 or 10 inches up to a couple feet wide.”

For his part, Lieb will have parts of arbors available so he can “show that you can do this and that.”

Deb Lundt, owner of Princess City Floral & Gifts in Pocahontas, said she will display outdoor decor and iron furniture at the Garden Extravaganza.

“We’ll also have blooming and green plants, and lots of garden stakes and stepping stones,” she said. “Since gardening is the No. 1 pastime in the country, people will get lots of new ideas at the show. We’ll be showing fun and different new decor to accentuate the garden.”

Gardening catalogs from local and national companies will be given to those attending, and Extension publications will be available. Lunch is available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., served by the Pocahontas Garden Club.

Contact Sandy Mickelson at (5151) 573-2141 or smickelson@messengernews.net

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