By Esther Leggett

The Wooster area is buzzing with excitement these days. The city has begun to celebrate its 200th birthday and has many bicentennial activities planned (see Calendar of Events).

Residents of the Wayne County area are enjoying the spring weather by getting out in their yards and gardens to plant, trim, mulch and weed. Are you doing the same thing?

One local business, The Greenhouse Shoppe, will not only help you grow your gardens, but it's growing, itself!

"Oh, yes," said Donna Feliciano, who owns the business along with her husband Marty. "Be sure to tell everyone we ARE open, despite all the construction going on at the front of our building. It looks a mess, but we're open for business. Pretty soon, we'll be even bigger and even better!"

The Greenhouse Shoppe, located on Ohio Route 3 (Cleveland Road), in the north end of Wooster, is undergoing a major expansion, however they still have everything you'll need for your yard and garden. Here's a place to find spring bulbs, herbs, seeds (both packages and bulk), onion sets, seed potatoes, annuals, perennials, vegetable plants, J.P. Roses, Bonsai, water-garden plants, foliage plants and premium-quality hanging baskets, as well as a large selection of nursery stock.

Fertilizers and other supplies to help your garden grow its best are also on hand. The Greenhouse Shoppe offers large selections of garden supplies, peat moss, mulches, arbors and trellises. There is also a large array of pottery, statuary and fountains.

"Container gardening is very popular," Marty said, "and we can help our customers make the right selections. We have many nice decorative pots and just the right plants to put in them."

At The Greenhouse Shoppe, you can find wind chimes, sun dials and other ornamental garden accents you can tuck in among your garden flowers.

The Greenhouse Shoppe opens each year in mid-February and stays open right through Christmas Eve in order to serve its customers throughout the many seasons of the year.

Christmas time is also a very special time at The Greenhouse Shoppe, as they transform their showroom into a holiday wonderland (and they are open Sundays, as well, during that time).

At Christmas, the shop concentrates on different and unusual ornaments, Christmas trees, wreaths and table-top decorations.

"Our Christmas Open House is always in early November," Donna said.

Live greenery, including wreaths and roping (by the yard or in 25-yard rolls), and a huge selection of poinsettias in many colors are available, too. Poinsettias come in red, white, pink, marble, burgundy and other variations.

"Our customers will also find a nice selection of silk selections for the holidays, just ready for the do-it-yourselfer to add to their holiday displays," Donna said. "It just takes a little bend here and a little twist there, and soon they'll have a professional looking arrangement for a fraction of the cost."

The Felicianos have owned their business for nearly 20 years now. Marty grew up in the greenhouse business in Medina County, and the couple grew plants for their wholesale business for several years.

"Since I have a background in business, I handle that part of our operation," Donna said, "and Marty handles the plants. Plus, I'm in charge of the artistic side. In fact, that's how we came up with the name for our shop ... Marty always wanted a greenhouse, and I thought I would like a shop!

"Here at The Greenhouse Shoppe," Donna continued, "we try to maintain a family atmosphere, no matter what season of the year it is. We try to offer quality selections and provide helpful, friendly service."

Donna and Marty are anxious to help you achieve the look you're after for your flower beds, porch boxes, pots and lawns. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or a novice, starting out at The Greenhouse Shoppe will be a good thing.

The Greenhouse Shoppe -- 3649 Cleveland Rd. (SR 3), Wooster, OH 44691, (330) 345-5300; hours: open Feb. thru Christmas Eve; regular hours: weekdays, 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m., & Sat., 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.; open later in the evening during May & June: open Dec. hours: Mon.-Sat., 9:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m., & Sun., 1-5 p.m. See ad on page 10.

Located in downtown Wooster, the Wayne County Convention and Visitors Bureau is ready (and more than willing) to provide information about the county to anyone planning a trip to the area.

Heading up the CVB for the past 14 years is Martha Starkey, a young "old pro" at connecting people with fabulous destinations.

"I really love talking to all the people," Martha said. "I get a real satisfaction when I find the right places to visit and the right things to do for those visiting our county, which has been called 'the crossroads of culture and countryside.'"

The CVB tries to bring visitors into Wayne County to spend the day and discover all the wonderful things it has to offer.

"Then, hopefully, the next time they come, they'll choose to come and spend a night or two," said Martha. "We're funded by the local bed tax, so of course we hope they stay over!"

A history lesson in a nutshell: Wayne County was founded in 1796, the third county founded in the Northwest Territory. It was named after "Mad" Anthony Wayne of the Revolutionary War. Wayne County is the 13th largest of Ohio's 88 counties.

Agriculture has always been a mainstay in Wayne County, and dairy farms still dot the countryside. The railroad brought industry to the county in the late 1800s, and still today, world-renowned companies such as Wooster Brush, Gerstenslager's, LuK USA LLC, Schantz Organ and Smucker's make their home here.

Wayne County is bi-sected by U.S. Route 30, which stretches from New York City's Times Square, across the mid-section of the country, all the way to San Francisco. That route, formerly known as The Lincoln Highway, is now designated by red, white and blue signs and runs through Wooster and Dalton.

Wayne County, along with Holmes, Ashland and Tuscarawas counties, are home to the largest concentration of Amish in the world. The Amish are a deeply religious group of Anabaptist Christians who choose to live simply, without modern conveniences such as automobiles and electricity. Many Amish still farm their land as their primary occupation; others operate home-based "cottage industries." Woodworking, construction and crafts have become major businesses for the Amish.

The Ohio Division of Tourism lists this area of Ohio its "top rural destination."

The county is also home to the College of Wooster, the Wayne College branch of the University of Akron, ATI (Agricultural Technical Institute/Ohio State University) and OARDC (Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center/Ohio State University).

The CVB gets many, many requests for information about what's going on in Wayne County.

"For instance, in May we usually get close to 900 phone calls and 3,000 e-mails from folks wanting information. And our Web site gets nearly 5,000 hits a month, as well. And we get between 300 and 400 people coming into the office each month.

Wayne County employs approximately 3,000 people in the jobs related to the tourist business, and the county receives nearly $165 million from those visiting here (food, gas, lodging, gifts, etc.).

How have record gas prices affected tourism here?

"Actually, here at the CVB, we're very optimistic," Martha said. "I think people from, say, Michigan or North Carolina, may decide not to come right now because of the cost of gas. But, people from Cleveland, Cincinnati, Detroit or Pittsburgh are making us their destination because gas prices are too high for them to travel to Florida, the seashore, etc.

"Our office works very hard to attract visitors. You have to remember Ohio's tourism budget is the lowest in the region, so locally, we have to work harder."

So if you're planning a trip to the Wayne County area, give Martha a call and/or visit the CVB's Web site for more information. There is so much to do in Wayne county, you'll have to come back several times in order to get it all done! And there are wonderful places to stay and out-of-this-world restaurants at which you can eat.

Come experience Wayne County!

Wayne County Convention & Visitors Bureau -- 428 W. Liberty St., Wooster, OH 44691 (located in the Wayne County Administration Building), (330) 264-1800 or (800) 362-6474, waynecvb@cs.com, www.waynecountycvb.org. See ad on page 10.

Overlooking the magnificent Killbuck Valley, Quailcrest Farm has emerged from a century-old farm to a family nursery with a modern approach.

The Bruch family has owned Quailcrest Farm since 1957, and the business itself has been in existence for 32 years. Of course, things have evolved over the years, but they've always maintained their core of quality products.

The Garden Barn houses a 12,400-square-foot greenhouse where they specialize in perennials, annuals, trees, shrubs, old-fashioned roses and herbs (an extensive selection of herbs, to be sure). The Quailcrest staff will even help you plan your garden. Just bring in some pictures of your garden area, and they'll work with you.

The gift shop is also located in the Garden Barn, and it offers a large selection of garden adornments and housewares, displayed among antique cupboards and tables.

The 30 acres of grounds and gardens at Quailcrest are exquisite and compare to none others in the area. About 25 different garden settings are scattered among the grounds, which display mature plantings to illustrate how your garden may look a few years after you plant.

The grounds and gardens at Quailcrest have been the backdrop for many beautiful outdoor weddings. What a great venue for that special day! The grounds are also available for group picnics and events. Actually, you're more than welcome to bring a picnic anytime, plop down on a blanket and spend some time enjoying the scenery before or after shopping.

The Tracy Barn, another structure at Quailcrest Farm, has a rich history. This 1840 barn was originally a horse barn in downtown Orrville, about 15 miles to the east. It was then moved to the Walter Tracy homestead, south of Orrville near US 30, where it remained for many years. Eight years ago, the 2,500-square-foot barn was dismantled and moved once again, this time to Quailcrest. For a while, it housed the gift shop, but has now been transformed into an event center ready for wedding receptions (especially, if that outdoor wedding gets rained out), showers, meetings and other occasions. It will seat up to 160 people at round tables.

The 150-year-old brick Old Schoolhouse from Golden Corners (at the intersection of Ohio 83 and 604) is also on the property. After being used for education, it was a smoke house for awhile. Now, it looks beautiful among the gardens.

One great feature at Quailcrest is The Potting Shed. This means "no muss, no fuss" for you. What this means is, you pay for the plants, accessories and dirt; you do the potting; you leave the mess for them to clean up! How much simpler can it get? Or, if you prefer, you can bring in your own empty containers, and they'll do the potting. Talk about convenience! According to the Quailcrest staff, container gardening has really increased in popularity, especially with those who have limited garden space or limited time to garden.

Many events occur at Quailcrest Farm that are definitely worth attending. Coming up in June is the Spring Garden Fair on the 7th and 8th, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. More than 35 garden-related artists and craftsmen will fill the gardens, plus there'll be lots of food and music to enjoy. The cost is $2/car.

The annual Herb Fair will be September 6th, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. At this event, more than 70 artists and craftsmen will be set up among the beautiful gardens to demonstrate and sell fine jewelry, furniture, antiques, clothes, stoneware, creative clay, ironwork, baskets, tole painting, bells, bronze, gourds, dried flowers, herbs, corn, pressed flowers and more. You'll find old favorites and new discoveries. You'll also find lots of food (their famous sausage sandwiches, an herbal luncheon and homemade ice cream). Again, this event is $2/car.

On September 13th, you can come enjoy the Quailcrest Family of Friends Dog Walk to benefit the dog and cat rescues of Ohio. Come enjoy many activities, music, the "blessing of the animals," demonstrations, food, raffles and much more.

Christmas at Quailcrest is the farm's annual open house on November 15th and 16th (Sat., 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sun., noon-5 p.m.). This holiday event will feature food, music and special surprises!

Call, e-mail or check out Quailcrest's Web site for their list of wonderful workshops held on site through the year. Reservations are needed, and they must be prepaid.

A visit to Quailcrest Farm is a must. Although every season has its fascination, spring -- the time of planting -- is simply the best. So get your green thumb ready to go, take advantage of all the farm has to offer and get planting!

Quailcrest Farm -- 2810 Armstrong Rd., Wooster, OH 44691 (turn W off SR 83, a few miles N of Wooster), (330) 345-6722, qcrest@bright.net, http://www.quailcrest.com; extended spring planting hours: weekdays, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sat., 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun., noon-5 p.m.; after June 8th, hours are Tue.-Sat., 9 a.m.-5 p.m. See ad on page 10.