Mount Vernon Flower Mart
The azaleas have gotten an early start this year — already, in front beds and gardens, their rich pinks and red are spilling into the air, bright studies in pointillism. Myself, I’m a longtime gardener, and so this time of year has an extra layer to it. Now we prep the pots and beds, start mulling over what we want and where it’ll go, and sooner or later make an excursion to the local nursery to stroll through the humid greenhouses and long trays of petunias, flox, marigolds, in search of whatever strikes our fancy. It’s one of those yearly rituals that defines the season, gives the year some shape.
With the spirit of gardening—and really, spring—in mind, I wanted to take today’s post to recommend to you one of my favorite Baltimore events: the Mount Vernon Flower Mart.
The Flower Mart is a steadfast classic on the Baltimore calendar of happenings. It’s been around since the early 1910’s, and over a hundred years later, is still going strong. The Washington Monument circle in Mount Vernon, right by Peabody, blossoms with vendor tents selling not only a cavalcade of fresh floral companions, but local jewelry, wall art, and food (a special favorite of ours has to be the Ekiben truck). The atmosphere is thick with the perfume of blooms and the cheerful chatter of renewal, the energy of warmer weather and clearer sun. And, on top of that, Flower Mart features a Baltimore classic: a lemon stick. For the uninitiated, this treat consists of a halved lemon and a peppermint stick through which you suck up the lemon juice, creating a sweet-sour-sharp delight in the mouth. The lemon stick dates back to time immemorial—and if you’re local, odds are you’ve had one in your time!
Flower Mart has been a part of our lives for ages. In our photo albums are pictures of my daughter and her friends, all little, enjoying lemon sticks and the painterly colors of the market. I hope Flower Mart can bring that kind of easy joy into your month, too!
Flower Mart runs May 3-4 from 11 AM to 8 PM, at the Washington Monument in Mount Vernon.
And besides, a little bit of landscaping goes a long way towards making your home all the more charming. Check it out!