Garden fair in Genoa Saturday

The annual Genoa Home and Garden Tour organized by Antiques Plus evolved this year into a garden fair featuring the store's 140-year-old poppies.

Set on more than 6 acres in Genoa, the store is housed in the historic Dake House built in the 1870s.

Four speakers at the fair will give tips on gardening in the high desert.

"I know there's so many transplants from California who water the heck out of things that aren't going to grow anyway," said Antiques Plus owner Martha Williams.

Her annual tour is a fund-raiser for the Carson Valley Pops Orchestra which gives free performances, she said.

The speakers at Saturday's gardening event will bring plants indigenous to the area for sale as well as informative handouts.

Scheduled speakers include Dave Ruf of the Greenhouse Garden Center who will talk about large and small animal repellent plants; Judy Thomas from Carson Valley Ranch and Garden Supply and Susie Daugherty of Nevada's Own in Wellington who are both speaking about gardening in the high desert; and Ingrid Texeira of the Cooperative Extension Service from the University of Nevada, Reno who will talk about the planting and care of perennials in the Carson Valley.

"So it should be informative and hopefully it'll be fun as well," Williams said.

The event will feature free refreshments like tea and cookies made by Williams' daughter Kristen. There will be food for sale. Scattered about for sale outside will be a variety of sculptures and antique farm equipment, according to Kristen Williams.

Both mother and daughter grew up in the old house at 2242 Main St. -- right next to Genoa Post Office.

Martha Williams says the house is haunted by a female ghost who once hit a customer on the back of the head.

"This isn't a benevolent ghost -- it's more playful," she said. "When (the customer) turned around and saw no one there he just freaked out. He ran downstairs and out the front door."

He later sent a relative back to explain what had happened.

There is no charge for Sunday's garden fair.

If You Go

What: Antiques Plus Garden Fair

When: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday

Where: 2242 Main St., Genoa

Cost: Free

Call: 782-4951

On the Net: www.genoaevents.com