Over 2,500 people came through the doors of the Porter County Expo Center on Saturday for the 19th Annual Gardening Show, sponsored by the Porter County Master Gardeners. At 9 a.m., only an hour after the doors had opened, more than 300 people had bought entry tickets. A $10 admission promised over 100 vendors, seven seminars with guest speakers and demonstrations, a children’s craft area, a photography display, and the popular seed and bulb area, where five admission tickets could be exchanged for seed packets or bags of bulbs. “The community loves the gardening show,” said LuAnn Troxel, volunteer coordinator for the Porter County Master Gardeners Association. “We get a great mix of people from all over Indiana as well as Illinois and Michigan.” Volunteer Hakenah Hulitt, left, Lori Duran, center, and granddaughter Maleyah Duran, 5, right, of Highland, work on nature-themed stamp art at the kids’ crafting area of the 19th Annual Gardening Show Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025, held at the Porter County Expo Center. (Deena Butterfield/for Post-Tribune) “One thing that pleases me the most about this show is that it is completely organized by volunteers,” said Troxel. “I have been at every one of the 19 annual gardening shows,” said Troxel, who started with houseplants and now jokes that she will not even divulge how many houseplants she actually owns. “When I was a Master Gardener intern in 2003, planning was underway for the very first show in January of 2004.” One of the three demonstrations was given by Damien Appel, who is the founder of the Coffee Creek Farmers Market and owns Native Roots, an organic farm in Wanatah. Appel’s demonstration table was full of tools and equipment while he discussed techniques to make growing food easy. The seminars throughout the day were attended by more than 200 people in the Patio Room of the Expo Center, one of which was led by Jack Pizzo on fighting invasive species in the garden.  Pizzo founded one of the Midwest’s largest ecological restoration firms and holds a master’s degree from the University of Illinois where he studied natural resources, restoration ecology and ornamental horticulture. Ginger Li, of Chesterton, attended the show with her daughter, Aubrie, and mother, Janice Scott, of LaPorte for the first time. “I am surprised at the variety of unique and interesting plants,” said Scott. “All the vendors are all so different.” “I have been aware of this show for years and have always been curious about it,” said Li. “My mom is the gardener in the family, but we came today all of us to see what it was all about.” “Christmas is No. 1, and this show is No. 2 of the best days of the year,” said Patty Janas of LaPorte, a retired nurse who lives on 12 acres with her husband. “My husband is a retired engineer and has always been a farmer, and now I am right there with him.” Attendees at the 19th Annual Gardening Show at the Porter County Expo Center on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025, make their seed and bulb selections as part of their entry fee. (Deena Butterfield/for Post-Tribune) “For me, it all started with a beautiful dahlia, and I had to have it,” said Janas. “Now I grow 500 dahlias from seed.” “The words master gardener can sound completely intimidating, and it shouldn’t be, because the more you garden, the more you know and we all feel the same way, “ said Troxel. “Growing things is a unifier, and we just want to share our love of gardening.” The Porter County Master Gardeners Association is a non-profit organization promoting art, science, education and pleasure of gardening in cooperation with Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service. A Master Gardener training program begins Feb. 13 and runs through May 15, 2025. For more information, call the Purdue Extension Porter County at 219-465-3555, which also serves as the Master Gardening Hotline where anyone can call about questions or problems on plant identification, gardening, lawn care, houseplants and pest control. Deena Butterfield is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.