Thank you to everyone who joined us for the 2024 Centre Furnace Mansion Plant Celebration on May 11. The clouds parted for us to have ample sunshine, a well-attended sale, and record-setting day! We couldn’t be more grateful.

At the heart of this special event lies an extraordinary outpouring of enthusiasm, talent, hard work, and dedication, starting with the tireless efforts and generous donations of our Centre Furnace Mansion (CFM) Garden Committee. The Gardeners took the opportunity to begin Thursday garden days in early February this year, courtesy of the unseasonably warm days. This was the start of countless hours of planning; potting plants from the Mansion’s and their own gardens; and inventorying and labeling each of the nearly 1000 plants. On the day of the event, the CFM Gardeners, many of whom are Master Gardeners, transition to an educational role to assist shoppers with their myriad questions about the plants that are for sale.

Bouquets of appreciation to our dedicated volunteers and contributors for the donations of beautiful plants and hundreds of hours of time spent during planning, preparation for, and hosting the Plant Celebration, leading tours inside the Mansion, and enticing new members to join the CCHS! We are also grateful to the vendors who bring a grand assortment of plants and garden-related treasures that complement the sale.

The much-needed proceeds from the Plant Celebration are directed toward the care of the Centre Furnace Mansion’s gardens and grounds.

On behalf of the CCHS Board of Governors, thank you, thank you, and thank you again!

Co-Chairs: Beverly Lipski and Katie Frieden
Mary Sorensen, Executive Director
Johanna Sedgwick, Marketing and Events Coordinator

With great gratitude to:

Chamber Ensembles from Grace Lutheran Church
Special thanks to The Whistle Tones flute quartet and Fair Winds III woodwind trio for contributing their time and talent to fill the halls of the Centre Furnace Mansion with their enchanting performances:
Penni Abram (flute)
Lauren Godfrey (flute)
Jenny Koberna (clarinet)
Joan Kovalchik (flute)
Rich Manning (bassoon)
Laurel Sanders (flute)

Blue Mountain Quality Resources
For their ongoing corporate contributions of service to CCHS and for helping us set up for the sale, we thank the following team from Blue Mountain Quality Resources:
Brandon Noldy
Lisa Bowman
Krystal Rutter
Corey Buckner

Penn State Master Gardeners of Centre County
Many thanks to the Penn State Master Gardeners for being on hand to field gardening questions throughout the day:
Tim Damico
Kari Reyburn
Janet Robinson

R. Thomas Berner
Photography exhibition and sale with proceeds designated to the Centre County Historical Society.

American Philatelic Society
Ken Martin

Centre Centre Furnace Mansion Gardeners
Frank Barksdale
Susan Bowser
Lucy Boyce
Mike Canich
Joyce Christini
Katie Frieden, Co-Chair & Rob Frieden
Yvonne Gaudelius
Carol & Lee Gouty
Judy Heberling & Michael Husband
Cathy Horner
Chris Igo
Beverly Lipski, Chair
Louis Mayer
Jo Merrell
Ruth Merritt
Carol Phillips
Sharon Phillips
Mark Pishak
Geri Reeve
Jan Villastrigo
Steve Wheeler
Jane Whitaker

CCHS Volunteers:
Ann Barton
Bill Blair, CCHS Board of Governors
Laura Contino
John Dillon
Cathy Horner
Kathy Johnston
Nancy Kress
Eric Miller
Ann Moellenbrock, Board of Governors
Bob Potter, CCHS Board of Governors
Tom Reyburn
Logan Sedgwick
Christopher Sorensen
Peter Sorensen
Alex Sprinkle
Roger Williams, CCHS President
Paula Wilson

Centre Furnace Mansion Docents and Greeters
Elizabeth Dutton
Jude Larkin
Gloria Nieweg
Lynn Royse
Joy Schon

Donation of unique, heirloom, and native plants and garden related items for the sale:
Lucy Boyce
Lisa Coggins
Joyce Christini
Michele Ebaugh
Rina Eiden
Katie Frieden
Yvonne Gaudelius
Judy Heberling and Mike Husband
Win and Pat Hock
Cathy Horner
Chris Igo
Beverly Lipski
Ruth Merritt
Sharon Phillips
Mark Pishak
Nan Sorensen
Betty Stanford
Jan Villastrigo
Steve Wheeler
Jane Whitaker

Photos from the 2024 Plant Celebration preparation and event day:

2024 PARTICIPATING PLANT CELEBRATION VENDORS

Use the Search box to easy find your favorite vendor or type in something that you are looking for. Click on an image to visit the vendor’s website/Facebook if provided.

CFM GARDENERS

Perennials and Native plants from the CFM gardens and donations from CFM Gardener’s personal gardens.

THE ROCK GARDEN NURSERY

The Rock Garden grows native perennials and a selection of other flowering plants.

COMMON GROUND ORGANIC FARM

We grow nutritious organic produce for our local community. We are dedicated to the land, nurturing the soil, and acting as responsible stewards in our relationship with the earth and what it can provide.

GO NATIVE TREE FARM

We offer nearly all of the eastern North American woody plant species. Please contact us at info@gonativetrees.com to pre-order!

BACKYARD FOREST

I propagate beneficial trees, perennials, and shrubs which are native to the region and/or have specific benefit to regional wildlife.

THE XERCES SOCIETY

Local Xerces Ambassador will share information and resources on supporting Xerces’ key program areas: pollinator conservation, endangered species conservation, and reducing pesticide use and impacts.

THE GARDEN

The Garden is a small family owned and operated greenhouse and farm in Centre Hall. We have been growing to sell since 2007.

LIZAJANE BOTANICALS

Glass garden sculptures made from vintage glass

MEADOWSWEET NATIVE PLANT FARM

Variety of native plants.

DEB'S FLOWER FARM

Deb’s Flower Farm grows cut flowers for all occasions. We specialize in dahlias which bloom in a multitude of colors. Our fresh bouquets are also available May- October at the Downtown State College Farmers Market on Locust Lane.

BRENDA HORNER ARTWORKS

Brenda Horner is a self-taught watercolor artist with a passion for realistically depicting her subjects. She often combines her artwork with calligraphy, hand-lettering expressive quotations to convey an insight or sentiment. Her blank greeting cards are giclee fine art prints reproduced from her original artwork.

ROSE FRANKLIN'S PERENNIALS

We specialize in growing plants which attract hummingbirds and butterflies to the garden. During the summer months, we also offer monarch eggs, caterpillars, and pupae.

SHUEY'S MARKET & GREENHOUSE

Annuals, bedding plants, sometimes vegetables and beautiful hanging baskets. 6 generation owned farm with 3 greenhouses.

MASTER GARDENERS OF CENTRE COUNTY

Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Centre County will be on hand to answer your plant, pollinator and garden questions.

Interested in participating as a vendor? Contact Johanna at jsedgwick@centrefurnace.org or 814-234-4779 for more information.