Among the newly erupted herbage and blossoms of Loudoun County, Leesburg’s Flower and Garden Festival yielded another fruitful turnout on April 15 and 16, marking its 33rd year running.

Booming with visitors and vendors, the streets of downtown Leesburg were packed for the entire weekend with crowds of botany buffs. The area’s unique access to rural and suburban farmers made for an especially diverse share of plants and stories. Nancy Neel, Co-Owner of Sunny Sprouts Greenhouse, had both in spades.

“Somebody gave me a plant one time, and I killed it,” Neel said, now surrounded by her expertly cultivated flora. “I just got really upset, so I kept reading up on it and growing more and more plants. Eventually, it became an obsession of mine.”

On top of lush plants and dazzling art, some vendors spent the festival offering invaluable advice on things like gardening, floral arrangements, and tree planting. Sage Devlin, the owner of Far Bungalow Farm, took the time to explain the ins and outs of at-home gardening to anyone seeking guidance.

“I would say the most important thing is to start small and easy,” Devlin said. “You can either start planting in little plastic trays inside, or you could directly sow them. This is kind of the time you want to start planting for summer.”

Separate from the vibrant flowers and shrubbery, specialized vendors like beekeeper Chris Phillips pulled in just as large a crowd. With a portable (and active) beehive in tow, Phillips compared grocery-brand honey to his own through free samples, leaving his customers buzzing with excitement.

“This is a spring honey,” Phillips explained, offering hive-fresh samples to his audience. “It’s very floral and light tasting, and as the season goes on, it’ll be darker and fuller flavored.”

While the vendors host a huge draw for the event, environmentalist groups like the Leesburg Tree Commission are equally popular with attendees. Hosting a sapling raffle and free transplantable roots, the commission dedicated the festival to answering questions about the importance of Virginia’s native trees.

“So this little adventure is just to bring trees to the public and teach them how not to kill them,” Commission Member Philip Marshall said. “You can kill a tree just by piling mulch up on it. We’re here to answer questions.”

A delightful ode to spring in Loudoun County, the Leesburg Flower and Garden Festival never fails to unite people in their love of nature. From succulents to bumble bees, the event has something for everyone.

“We hope you enjoyed the 33rd annual Flower & Garden Festival!” the festival posted to its Facebook account. “Thank you to our sponsors, vendors, non-profit groups, and all those who attended this year’s event! We are already looking forward to seeing you next year!”