Hoffman’s Garden Center in Green has a new name, Water X Scapes.
The name change reflects the center’s increased focus on water features, owner Bill Hoffman said. “We’re sort of evolving and changing” and are no longer a typical garden center, he said.
Competition from big-box and grocery stores has prompted the company to move away from selling plants, except for some specimen plants such as cypresses and Japanese maples, Hoffman said. Instead, it now focuses on selling pond and water garden equipment to do-it-yourselfers and teaching classes on design, construction and maintenance of water features.
“I don’t want to drop plants completely at this point, but someday … we may,” he said.
Water X Scapes is at 1021 E. Caston Road. The company’s new website is under construction, but for now information about the business can be found at www.hoffmansgardencenter.com.
Rare plant species in sale
Some rare species are among the plants available from the Portage Soil and Water Conservation District’s spring plant sale.
The district is offering 39 types of trees, shrubs and pond lilies, including such hard-to-find plants as sourwood, umbrella magnolia, bunchberry, snowberry, New Jersey tea and black huckleberry.
Descriptions of the plants and a mail-in order form are at www.portageswcd.org. Order deadline is April 5, but early ordering is advised because quantities are limited.
Plants must be picked up between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. April 17, 18 or 19 at the district office, 6970 State Route 88, Ravenna.
For information, contact Lynn Vogel at lvogel@portageswcd.org or 330-297-7633.
Home and garden show
Heading out to the HBA Akron Home and Flower Show today? I’d love to meet you.
I’ll be greeting visitors in the featured gardens area from 1 to 3 p.m. today, along with Betsy Kling of WKYC (Channel 3) and Jeff Tanchak of WOIO (Channel 19).
Show highlights include antiques appraisal shows by Dr. Lori Verderame at 1, 4 and 5 p.m. today and 11 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Sunday. Audience members may bring items they can carry by hand. No weapons are permitted.
In addition, Matt Fox and Shari Hiller of Around the House With Matt and Shari will be onstage at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. today and 1 and 4 p.m. Sunday.
The Home and Flower Show is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. today and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at the John S. Knight Center, 77 E. Mill St. Tickets are $8 at the door or $7 in advance at www.akronhomeandflowershow.com. Children 12 and younger admitted free.
Events, programs
• ZeroLandfill Akron, 9 a.m. to noon today, 21 W. North St. Materials samples distributed free to artists and art educators for use in their work. www.facebook.com/ZeroLandfillAkron.
• Fiber CAFE (Center for Alternative Fiber Experience), 10 a.m. today, Peninsula Art Academy, 1600 W. Mill St. Share a project or technique or get advice. 330-657-2248.
• Cleveland Botanical Garden events, 11030 East Blvd. Orchid Mania, through March 10. Ask the Orchid Doctor, 1-3 p.m. today. Garden admission: $9.50; children ages 3-12, $4; members and younger children, free. 216-721-1600 or www.cbgarden.org.
• Invasive Species, 10 a.m. Monday, Garden Room, Portage County Extension Office, 6970 State Route 88, Ravenna. Speaker: Danae Wolfe, Ohio State University Extension. Free.
• Guided Winter Walk, 2-3 p.m. Monday, Secrest Arboretum’s Seaman Orientation Plaza, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, 1680 Madison Ave., Wooster Township. Free. 330-464-2148 or http://secrest.osu.edu.
• Warm Up Akron meetings, 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Mogadore Branch Library, 144 S. Cleveland Ave. Members knit and crochet rectangles that are used to make afghans for needy people in the Akron area, and they’ll teach others the skills. 330-699-3252 or http://warmupakron.webs.com.
• Starting Plants Indoors From Seeds, 7 p.m. Wednesday, Seiberling Nature Realm, 1828 Smith Road, Akron. Part of the Summit County Master Gardeners’ Meet Me in the Garden series.
• Needlework Circle meeting, 6 p.m. Thursdays, Seville Library, North Center Street. 330-769-2852.
• International Furniture Show Recap, noon Friday, Ohio Design Centre, 23533 Mercantile Road, Beachwood (off Chagrin Boulevard, west of Interstate 271). Talk by Lisa Smith, interior designer and blogger. Part of the center’s First Friday series. $10. Registration: 216-831-1245 or awilliams@liefkarson.com. Information: www.ohiodesigncentre.com.
• Understanding Lawn Maintenance, 11 a.m. March 2, Dayton Nurseries, 3459 S. Cleveland-Massillon Road, Norton. Speaker: Mark Laube, Oliger Seed Co. $10, $6 garden club members. Seating is limited. Advance payment is requested, but participants may pay at the door. Registration: 330-825-3320 or info@daytonnursery.com, or fill out the form at www.daytonnursery.com.
• Lollipop topiary class, 6-7:30 p.m. March 6, Quirk Cultural Center, 1201 Grant Ave., Cuyahoga Falls. $25, $23 for residents. Registration: 330-971-8425, 330-971-8225 or www.cityofcf.com/parksandrec.
Submit notices of classes, programs and events two weeks in advance to mbrecken@thebeaconjournal.com or Home and Garden News, Features Department, Akron Beacon Journal, P.O. Box 640, Akron, OH 44309-0640. Please include name and phone number. All events must be open to the public.
Mary Beth Breckenridge can be reached at 330-996-3756 or mbrecken@thebeaconjournal.com. You can also become a fan on Facebook at http://tinyurl.com/mbbreck, follow her on Twitter @MBBreckenridge and read her blog at www.ohio.com/blogs/mary-beth.
