Don't you love it when someone tells you a secret? Well, Jerrie Crummett has five secrets, and she'll tell you all of them at the 15th Annual Herb Festival on Saturday, June 7, during her free seminar entitled, "Five Secrets to Growing Herbs." Crummett's seminar begins at 11 a.m. on the patio of the Cann Memorial Gardens, right in the center of the 90 plus vendor booths, and the food, beverage and entertainment areas.

It's no wonder that Jerrie Crummett, a retired teacher and Master Gardener, has learned so many secrets about growing herbs. An avid gardener, she established a formal herb garden at her rural Stillwater home and recently opened Homeplace Gardens and Herb School. The plantings are designed into a 45-foot square, which is divided into a formal European knot garden design outlined by hedge bushes and limestone.

The garden is used as a showcase for classes on herb use and production. Crummett realized there are no herb schools in the area and decided upon moving to Stillwater that she needed to fill that void.

When asked how she became involved in gardening, Crummett answered, "At age five, I had the most beautiful blue morning glories growing up the outside of my bedroom windows. They trailed around all over the screens. In that era we didn't have air conditioners so the windows were open most of the time. The spark to see what else I could grow started from the delight I took in these morning glories."

"The next year I got to plant snapdragons around the base of the old hackberry tree in the back yard. I was fascinated with the variety of colors and the way I could carefully pinch the blossoms to make them open and close. Prior to living in this house someone had planted iris bulbs all along the south side of the house. My folks were not too interested in gardening efforts, but I remember sitting down and pulling all of the grass out of that flowerbed. I just couldn't let the grass take over. Also, our neighbor had a really nice rose garden between our two houses. These glorious beauties fascinated me. Once in awhile he would let us pick a rose — now that was special!"

Crummett says she'll never forget her garden of 1975. "My husband and I used a rototiller to control the weeds around the corn – and learned quickly that not all plants have roots that grow straight down. By morning all 50 of the beautiful corn plants were laying down on the ground," said Crummett. That's when she convinced, Dan, her husband, to take a botany class with her.

Although gardening was never intended to replace either of their incomes, they managed to make Homeplace a true gardening adventure. For a while they sold fresh produce and herbs at a local farmer's market. They also sold fresh herbs across the nation on a mail-order venture. Their first greenhouse held herbs year round and their first cookbook, "Herbal Cookery Made Easy," gained national recognition as one of Oklahoma's best, and sold out the first and second printing within months. Crummett said, "A catering business bloomed for awhile, and eventually I became known as that 'herb' lady...a title I find amusing as it seems impossible that a graduate schooled computer teacher could find such therapy and joy by playing in the dirt!"

The opening of Homeplace Gardens and Herb School has been a great accomplishment. "The blend of my love for the classroom and 'playing in the dirt' is coming together in this project," Crummett said. "While I love herbs and gardening, I'm not the expert when it comes to most of the classes we will be scheduling," she added. "I see Homeplace Gardens as a place where I can facilitate learning by providing a forum for those who are noted in their knowledge of herbal cookery, production of aromatic products, artwork, children's gardening, fairy gardens, Biblical herbs, edible flowers, a formal tea garden, and, of course, — how to plan and grow an herb garden."

Homeplace Gardens has a number of sections, each with herbs of differing uses. "For instance, if we're holding a class on herbal soap making, we want to be able to take the students to the garden and show them the herbs they would be using to make soap," she said. "Other sections might include, culinary herbs, those used for aromatherapy; pet-related herbs; oil and vinegar selections, herbal teas and edible flowers. Also, we plan a special garden for children's activities." Crummett explained. The first two classes held at Homeplace Gardens were a huge success, drawing students from all over Oklahoma.

Crummett concluded, "There is a lot of work yet to be done, but it is a labor of love. It is so fitting for me to take my passion of gardening, and specifically herbs, and find a way to share the knowledge with others." If you are interested in knowing more about how to start an herb garden, and want to hear helpful secrets from an expert like Master Gardener Jerrie Crummett, then come to the Herb Festival. For festival information go to: www.poncacityherbfestival.com or contact the Ponca City Chamber of Commerce at 580-765-4400.

The schedule of events planned for the annual festival include the following:

L.A. Cann Home Patio

8:30 a.m. Opening Exercises Honoring Jim Eck, Ponca City's Superintendent of Parks. Jim will officially open the Herb Festival with the "Cutting of the Vine."

9 a.m. Jim Eck, Superintendent of Parks, Ponca City, "The Colorful History of the Cann Memorial Gardens."

10 a.m. Christina Stallings Roberson, Education Coordinator, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Forestry Department, "Trees Are Terrific...Inside and Out."

11 a.m. Jerrie Crummett, Homeplace Gardens and Herb School,

Stillwater, "Five Secrets To Growing Herbs."

Noon Hill Irish Dancers, Celtic Dancers From Stillwater and Beyond

12:30 p.m. Miss Suzi's Singing School, Ponca City Youth Performing Musical Numbers.

1 p.m. Larry Buck, Gardening Enthusiast, Ponca City, "Growing Bonsai Trees."

2 p.m. Jerry Cathey, Ponca City's "Mr. Iris," "A Plant Anyone Can Grow: The Iris"

3 p.m. Mary Anne Potter, Ponca City, Founder of the Ponca City Herb Festival "There's Never Enough Thyme-Using Herbs In Your Cooking"

Entertaining throughout the day from the gazebo will be Princess Dancing Wolf and Cimarron Ken.

Children's Booth

Children, with the assistance of adults, will fashion stylish garden hats out of paper, tulle, ribbon, beads, and boas. They will also be able to plant flowers in little shoes to take home with them.

The festival is sponsored by the Sage. Rosemary and Thyume Garden Club.