Gardener? Check Out Hartford's Regional Market

If you have any interest in gardening, you might want to check out the Hartford Regional Market at 101 Reserve Road for fantastic deals on annuals, perennials, ornamental shrubs, and warm weather vegetable seedlings. The Spring season draws farmers and growers from the greater Hartford region each Saturday, starting at 4:00am. Yes, I did say 4:00am, you really need to be an early bird to participate in this event. But if you love gardening or need some shrubs for your yard, it’s a great place to choose from a wide variety, typically for 50% of the price you would pay at a local gardening center or Home Depot.

A few tips I’ve picked up over the years..

1. Arrive early, before 6:00am if possible. There are typically about 2,000 people that will come to shop, so you want to get there early so you can avoid traffic and choose from the best selection possible.

2. If you have a wagon, bring it. Because of the crowds, you’ll park away from the vendors. You’ll be buying flats of plants that aren’t easy to carry. So if you can put them in a wagon, your excursion will be more enjoyable.

3. No need to shower. No one else wants to get up at 5:00am on the weekend (or weekdays for that matter), so just put on a baseball cap, some sweatpants, and you’re good to go.

4. Directions. If you can avoid using Exit 27 off I-91, by all means, please do so. The traffic can be a pain. Here are some alternate routes that are suggested.