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Photos by William Zilke
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Mild temperatures and a long winter combined to make this year's Friends of the Library Perennial Exchange a huge success.
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You know spring has sprung in Belleville when the annual Friends of the Fred C. Fischer Library and the Belleville Farmer's Market open for business.
"We get a good turnout every year but this has been a very, very good turnout," master gardener Peter Lebarre said of the perennial exchange held in the Fred C. Fischer Library's flowery courtyard.
What once started out as a perennial exchange that was almost exclusively limited to hosta and common day lilies has evolved into an eclectic and cost effective way to expand a gardener's horizons and selections.
Trillium, golden variegated shrubs, forsythia, may apples and jack- in- the- pulpit lay side by side and root to root with various sedum, daisies and ground covers.
"I've seen raspberry plants this year, that's something I've never seen before Kristy Rice of Sumpter Township said.
"I came here looking for hosta and instead exchanged some centennial hosta for yucca," Pauline Carr of New Boston said.
For some gardeners, it is a chance to thin out spreading perennials.
For others, like Marsha Warren, it is just too hard to toss a perennial friend onto the mulch pile.
"I just can't bear to throw them away," Warren said.
Rather than bring the plants back home to meet a composting fate, many gardeners would rather give them away than trade them.
The annual event also is a chance for local gardeners to get out of the house, into the garden and on that blooming first weekend of May, catch up with some old friends who share a similar passion.
"When I first came (to the perennial exchange) I was a newbie," Danielle Dougherty said laughing.
"We just bought a home and the garden was overgrown. I thought Queen Anne's lace was part of the garden."
Dougherty said she now feels like a real gardener through trial and error, a little knowledge and a lot of dirt stained knees on her jeans.
"And yes, I brought weeds in thinking they were perennials," she said.
Inside the library, was another Belleville tradition, the book sale that coincides with the perennial exchange.
"We've had a great turnout," the Friends' Pat Ryback said.
"I came in to set up and bought $100 worth of books or $5."
Ryback's son, Timothy wrote Rock Around the Bloc, a classic among music buffs and reviewers.
Children's books, romances, non- fiction and how- to books were being bought up at a gingerly pace as shoppers out enjoying the day couldn't pass up a real bargain.
With prices ranging from $1 for hard covers and $.25 for children's books and romances, more than one reader has their poolside reading material set for a couple months.
If you are interested in joining the Friends of the Fred C. Fischer Library, visit their web site at www.belleville.lib.mi.us/friends.htm.
Meanwhile over at Victory Park, market manager Bob Kennedy was in seventh heaven with the Belleville Farmer's Market new, shady, green location.
"It's great even if it's by accident," Kennedy said.
"We had no choice but to move due to the (then proposed) Main Street repaving.
"We're happy and we're here for the season."
Kennedy added he was happy with the greater, visible exposure at 5 points.
"We have a restroom here, shade and grass," he said of the park site that is a 180- degree turn around from the sweltering, blacktop parking lot that the Farmer's Market called home for many years.
The added exposure brought in pedestrians, park goers and drivers who may not have even seen the weekly event from Main Street at its old location.
"The turnout wasn't too bad considering how gloomy it is," Leon and Lisa Carptenter of L'il Seedlin's said.
The Carpenter's L'il Seedlin's provides shoppers with fresh vegetable seedlings, including cold weather crops like sweet green peas.
Rhonda and Alicia is a two woman operation that creates specialty candles and gifts.
Like every vendor I talked to, they couldn't be happier with the opening day environment.
"We had a good turnout and we're very happy with the new location," the pair said.
Linda and Warme Linsea, of Linda's Lighthouse Beads, create one of a kind jewelry originating from many intriguing sources.
"This necklace has a documented 6 million year old shark's tooth on it," Warme Linsea said.
"We have all-American turquoise jewelry. I go to estate sales and we have jewelry made from antique crystal."
As for the new location, Linsea couldn't be happier.
Standing on grass rather than concrete, in shade rather than full sun and with the scenic attributes of a park full of happy children playing on the swings, Linsea said, "I love it, man, I love it down here!"
The Belleville Farmer's Market runs through October.
Contact Staff Writer William Zilke at 697-8255 or at wzilke@heritage.com.
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