Dates Set for 8th Annual Penny McHenry Hydrangea Festival

From Douglas County

The Douglas County Tourism and History Commission proudly announces that the 8th annual Penny McHenry Hydrangea Festival will be held Saturday - Sunday, June 6th - 7th, 2015, at locations throughout Douglas County. The Festival is the largest annual tourism event in Douglas County, having attracted an estimated 5,000 people from all over the United States last year.

The Festival has the Standard Flower Show in the Douglas County Courthouse Atrium as its centerpiece, and each year the Commission chooses a theme Hydrangea around which the Standard Flower Show and Festival are planned. The 2015 theme blossom is “Madame Emile Mouillère” (Hydrangea macrophylla), a classic white French Hydrangea that grows well in Douglas County. It is an heirloom plant, having graced gardens for over 100 years. The chosen Standard Flower Show theme is “Ooh, La, La” and will feature French-influenced titles and entries. Think “French and fabulous”! In 2014, the Standard Flower Show featured 437 horticultural entries, 24 design entries, and 47 special exhibits. The Standard Flower Show has won numerous Regional and National Awards.

In addition to the Standard Flower Show, the Festival features:
• Artists’ Market featuring original art, pottery, sculpture, jewelry, original home décor, garden structures and antiques;
• Flower Market featuring plants and flowers;
• Farmers’ Market featuring fresh items from the garden;
• Tours of Private Gardens featuring Nationally recognized private gardens;
• Tours of Specialty Gardens, Designs and Displays; and
• Presentation by a Nationally renowned garden designer.
Details on Festival features will be announced as they are finalized. New features for 2015 are in development and will also be announced as they are finalized.

One of the Festival’s favorite features returning for its third year is Miniature Gardens in Wheelbarrows at the Old Douglas County Courthouse in downtown Douglasville. Most of the wheelbarrow gardens have historically been developed on the Festival theme, and the designs are kept secret until the Festival opening.

Returning for its second year in 2015 will be Scarecrows in the Master Gardeners’ Vegetable Garden at Douglas Public Health. The scarecrows will also be on theme.

The annual Festival, always held the first full weekend in June at the height of the Hydrangea growing season, has grown in size, quality and attendance each year. The whole Douglas County community gets involved for the Festival with Hydrangea arrangements gracing mailboxes, front doors, homes and businesses. Any Douglas County resident can submit entries into the Standard Flower Show, Miniature Gardens in Wheelbarrows, and the Scarecrows. There is no cost to submit an entry.

The Festival is named for Atlanta native Penny McHenry, Founder of the American Hydrangea Society, who received her first Hydrangea as a memorial gift at the loss of her daughter. Mrs. McHenry had close ties to Douglas County and her family has granted permission for the use of her name for the Festival.

The Festival is organized and produced by the Douglas County Tourism and History Commission, the Douglas County Board of Commissioners, and the City of Douglasville Mayor and Council. Its purpose is to beautify our community; preserve our history, historic places and heirloom plants; and display our community to the world.

Festival details can be found by visiting www.PennyMcHenryHydrangeaFestival.com or by calling 770-920-7593.

(Photo: Douglas County Happenings Facebook)