Scioto Gardens’ ninth annual Gardening and Arts Festival is scheduled for July 18 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Scioto Gardens Nursery near Delaware.

The third Saturday in July was chosen for the festival to highlight the many native plants that bloom in mid to late summer, organizers say.

The festival will feature the work of an array of area artists, live music, workshops, local food and a variety of both familiar and unusual plants.

Scioto Gardens’ goal with the arts festival is to promote both local artists and sustainable gardening practices, they say.

This year’s free gardening workshops include:

• 10 a.m., “Science of Flowers,” Nancy Murray, Ohio Wesleyan University.

• 11 a.m., “Organic Pest Management,” Deb Knapke.

• Noon, “Gourds 101,” Chris Voise.

• 1 p.m., “Curb Appeal with Native Plants,” Denise Gualtiere of Inspirations Landscape Design.

• 2 p.m., “Great Plants for Birds & Butterflies,” Amy Dutt of Urban Wild.

• 3 p.m., “Heal Local! Good Health Begins at the Nursery,” Dawn Combs of Mockingbird Meadows.

• 4 p.m., “Barefoot Beekeeping” demo, Dave Noble of Stratford Ecological Center.

Among the arts represented at the festival will be paintings, glass beads, metal sculpture, stone carving, handcrafted jewelry, ceramics, mixed media, wooden bird houses, driftwood sculptures and fiber arts. Festival goers are invited to visit with the artists while they browse.

Visitors will be able to explore the nursery’s wide variety of native plants, carnivorous plants, rare and unusual plants, all of which were selected to thrive in central Ohio’s climate.

A blend of jazz, pop, folk and instrumental music will be presented live, including: 10 a.m,, 3 Day Weekend, jazz; noon, Museaic, flute and guitar instrumentals; 2 p.m., Matt Harmon, folk singer/songwriter; and 4 p.m., Doug Wood, instrumental acoustic guitarist.

Scioto Gardens was founded by a horticulturist from The Ohio State University and designed from more than 30 years of nursery experience. All plants are cultivated in a natural soil/compost blend in degradable containers so that specimens are already acclimated to their permanent growing medium. Plants are also nurtured with sustainable, earth-friendly growth and maintenance practices, key factors behind the creation of the festival.

Scioto Gardens Nursery is located at 3351 W. State Route 37, just west of Delaware. To learn more, visit www.sciotogardens.com.