Olympia Farmers MarketWelcome to Olympia Farmers Market
Demonstration Garden
The Garden is the most public of the three demonstration gardens in the county, open 24/7 and staffed during market hours. It was named Gallacci Gardens in recognition of the early leadership of Norman Gallacci by the Farmers Market Board. The garden was started in the mid-1990s with plants donated by the market vendors and considerable volunteer effort by Thurston County Master Gardeners.
In the past several years, the displays have been rehabilitated to display water-wise gardening practices, herb and shade gardens, an iris walk, a butterfly and Asian Alpine theme gardens, as well as composting and trellis areas. The Great Plant Picks program is our guide for plant acquisitions, which continue to be made from market vendors, as well as other sources in the region. Overall, the displays are a mixture of NW natives and more exotic introductions to the area.
Our primary objective is to enable our many visitors to identify and learn from the sustainable gardening practices demonstrated in the garden, including water-wise, natural pruning, and integrated pest management, and to adopt them in their own gardens. The compost area serves as an on-going learning site, and the clinic provides easy access to advice for garden enthusiasts who shop in the market.