Edible Gardening

**Confidence in Bloom: How Creativity Builds Confidence** What happens when creativity becomes an intentional practice? In this month’s Confidence Lab, we’ll gather at **Petals That Inspire: The Flourish Studio** for an evening exploring the connection between creativity and confidence. How making with our hands, engaging our senses, and allowing space for expression can shift how we see ourselves and what we believe is possible. Our featured speaker, **Amanda Lorenzetti**, owner of Petals That Inspire, will share how creativity has shaped her own confidence journey and why creative environments play such a powerful role in well-being, resilience, and personal growth. Drawing from her work leading an experience-driven floral studio and a community-centered workforce development program, Amanda will reflect on creativity as both a personal and collective catalyst. Amanda will also guide us through a **hands-on floral design experience**, creating a fresh arrangement in a wide mouth mason jar. No prior floral experience is needed, just curiosity and a willingness to engage the process. This evening is an invitation to slow down, create, and reconnect with the part of yourself that grows through care, attention, and imagination. You’ll leave with a floral arrangement to take home, and a deeper understanding of how confidence can be cultivated through creative practices. **Featured Speaker: Amanda Lorenzetti** Amanda Lorenzetti is the owner and founder of [Petals That Inspire](https://www.petalsthatinspire.com/) and The Flourish Studio, a social enterprise florist based in Columbus, Ohio. She brings more than a decade of experience in wedding and event sales, paired with hands-on expertise in floral and event design. Amanda’s connection to the floral industry began early, spending time alongside her godmother, a professional florist on the East Coast. After earning her business degree, she returned to her hometown in Connecticut to work as a floral and event designer, blending creative artistry with strong operational and client-focused skills. In 2020, Amanda returned to the floral industry with a renewed purpose, driven by a desire to build a business rooted in creativity, community impact, and sustainability. During this pivotal time, she founded Petals That Inspire—an innovative floral concept that reimagines the traditional florist model by combining event florals, workshops, and experiential offerings with a mission-centered approach to workforce development. Today, Petals That Inspire is a thriving social enterprise known for its thoughtful design, educational experiences, and commitment to empowering young adults facing barriers to entry in the workforce. Amanda is deeply passionate about building businesses that are both profitable and purpose-driven, and she leverages her strong business acumen to create a scalable & sustainable model that inspires creativity while giving back to the community. **What is Confidence Lab?** Confidence Lab is a monthly community experience for bold, thoughtful leaders building confidence from the inside out. Whether you’re launching a business, leading a team, navigating change, or simply striving to show up more fully—you belong here. Our work demands clarity, courage, and conviction—but the pace of daily life can erode our sense of self. Confidence Lab creates space to reflect, reconnect, and grow with others doing purpose-driven work. It’s designed for entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, creatives, corporate professionals, activists, and anyone ready to lead with authenticity and impact. ***Please note:*** *All are welcome! If cost is a concern, please use promo code PUBLIC to access a free ticket—we want you to join us.*

The Forge does have a full bar and kitchen. There is no cover charge but they do request all attendees to purchase a minimum of ~$20 per person. Soft drink refills are $1 each. Please support our hosts so we can continue to provide great events for the group! The Forge has a large library of games available for us to enjoy. Hosts and regulars will also provide numerous popular games but please bring any games you would like to teach and/or play. Doors open at 6, and we expect gaming to be rolling by around 630. Please promptly end your games and clear out the space at 10pm when the bar closes. We encourage socializing but do not permit disruptive behavior of any kind. Thank you for your continued commitment to providing a fun and welcoming space to veteran, newbie, and rookie gamers in the Columbus area. Parking can be challenging. There is a parking lot behind the neighboring Mexican restaurant that is free and easy to walk from but it's a bit hidden.

Do you want more Self Confidence, less Self Doubt, more Happiness, less Anxiety, and more Love? This event is an introduction to how to handle irrational emotion. How often are yours or another's emotions out of control? What is that about??? I have asked these questions and after much search have found answers and am sharing. Maybe you have suffered a traumatic experience, a deep loss or been through a painful breakup? After that, you try to move on but you just can't. Possibly you have a thought or emotion that hangs around for days and you just can't shake it. What is all this stress, anxiety, depression, and self doubt? It's just crazy! It's not the real you. You can find out what is at the root of all this. This is a local event. Areas you can change with the right information: * Control of unwanted emotions * Lack of confidence * Grief * Anxiety * Anger management * Creating ideal relationships * Memory * and more... This is a local meeting that can start you on the way to a better life, more confidence and less negativity. All the happiness you have lies within you. Let's find it! Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to this local event. We look forward to seeing you there. This group is created by the Dianetics and Scientology life improvement center.

**Google Analytics Alternatives** Is it finally time to make the switch away from Google Analytics? Two-and-a-half years ago Jason Packer asked this question at Columbus Web Analytics Wednesday. Since then: Google’s Universal Analytics has been sunset, we’ve changed our name to Columbus Data & Analytics Wednesday, and Jason has released two editions of his book “Google Analytics Alternatives”. Fresh off the release of the 2nd edition of his book, we thought it was time to re-open this conversation. While people love to complain about it, GA’s market share has remained relatively constant (at least in the United States). Why is that? You won’t find any complaints about GA4 in this talk, but rather an overview of what’s currently available in the market and how to frame your decision-making process. We’ll also be giving out some free copies of Jason’s book! So even if you’ve got a “GA4Lyfe” tattoo (no judgement), there’s free books to go with the free pizza and beer. Thanks to our 2026 sponsors: [Clarivoy](https://www.clarivoy.com), [What Box Consulting Group](https://www.whatboxconsultinggroup.com), [Conductrics](https://www.conductrics.com), and [Piwik PRO](https://piwik.pro) More info at [cbusdaw.com](https://cbusdaw.com)

Hosted by Wild Ones Columbus How to Install a Bog Garden, with David Marsolo Saturday, March 14th, 2026 10:00 am to 12:00 pm (Eastern Time) Innis House (Inniswoods Metro Park) , 940 S. Hempstead Road, Westerville, OH Public Welcome Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking A bog can serve the same functions as a traditional rain garden but has the advantages of being low maintenance, climate resilient and attractive for a much longer part of the year. David Marsolo is a long time Wild Ones member. He has been maintaining artificial bogs at his suburban Westerville home for about 20 years. He will describe how to install a bog and fill it with many interesting native plants including pollinator and host plants https://columbus.wildones.org/calendar-of-events-and-programs/?wo_event_id=11160

Hosted by Licking Parks District Planning and Growing a Cut Flower Garden Thursday, March 12, 2026 Are you a plant lover or garden enthusiast who would like to add growing cut flowers to your garden repertoire but don’t know where to start? Or maybe you’d like to grow flowers instead of grass to attract pollinators? Whatever your flower dream is, let’s dig in and start here! Join Tracey Barnes of Moon Maiden Flower Farm to learn the basic foundations of growing a cut flower garden, which includes planning, choosing the right varieties, succession planting for continuous blooms, maintenance, harvesting and post harvest care for making bouquets. Whatever your horticulture experience level is, you’ll gain confidence in your decision making, and before you know it, you’ll be slinging flowers and sharing their beauty with others. Register by Mar 11. [Register here for free https://www.lickingparkdistrict.com/267/March-2026](https://www.lickingparkdistrict.com/267/March-2026) 6PM - 7:30PM Location: James Bradley Center, Infirmary Mound Park

Save the Date 🌱 The Licking County Master Gardener Volunteers invite you to the annual gardening conference, open to everyone who enjoys growing plants. 📅 Saturday, March 14, 2026 📍 OSU Newark Campus - Reese center 🎟️ Tickets go on sale in January and this event fills fast, sells out every year 🌿 2026 Theme: Unusual Gardens in Your Backyard You will hear practical ideas that help you rethink small spaces and try new approaches at home. This conference also arrives at the perfect time of year. It helps soothe the urge to get outside while winter is still around. Central Ohio gardeners wait until late May to plant outdoors, so this day helps you plan and daydream about spring projects. Speakers • Joseph Tychonievich, author of Rock Gardening: Reimagining a Classic Style • Debra Knapke, The Garden Sage • Denise Schreiber, author of Eat Your Roses You will find vendors, a silent raffle, and friendly conversations with other gardeners. Registration • Register by January 31 to pay 50 dollars • Starting February 1, the fee is 60 dollars • Tickets at the door are 75 dollars • Boxed lunch, coffee and pastries are included MGV website: [https://fourseasonsofgardening.org/2026-spring-conference](https://fourseasonsofgardening.org/2026-spring-conference) 9:00-9:20 Registration & Complimentary Muffins & Vendor Visits (Auditorium) 9:20-9:30 Welcome & Opening Remarks (Auditorium) 9:30-10:20 Denise Schreiber, “Mrs Know It All” Pittsburg, PA Beyond the Garden Gate, Peeking at the Neighbor’s (Ballroom/Hallway). 10:20–10:40 Break-Visit Vendors & Raffle Tables (Auditorium) 10:40–11:30 Debra Knapke, “The Garden Sage” Columbus Ohio Wanting it All—Evolving as a Gardener (Ballroom) 11:30-12:15 Lunch (Catered/Visit Vendors & Raffle Tables 12:30–1:00 Break Out—Session 1 (Ballroom) Dawn Seymour Hungry for Change: Avoiding “the Jones’” with Intentional Design (Auditorium) Ryan Slaughter, Ross County Ag. & Natural Resources Extension Educator Growing Berries in Home Gardens (Ballroom) 1:10–1:40 Break Out Session 2 Dawn Seymour Hungry for Change: Avoiding “the Jones’” with Intentional Design (Auditorium) Ryan Slaughter Growing Berries in the Home Garden (Ballroom/Hallway) 1:40-2:10 Break: Final Visit to Vendors & Raffle Tables 2:10–3:00 Joseph Tychonievich, South Bend, IN, Writer, Plant Breeder, Gardener Big Ideas, Small Spaces: Making Creative Gardens on Small Properties

🌱 Vegan Dinner + Bowling Night 🎳 Join us for a relaxed vegan dinner at Loving Hut on Saturday, March 14 from 6:00–8:00 PM. We’ll enjoy delicious plant-based food, good conversation, and chill, friendly vibes. After dinner, we’ll head over for bowling at Holiday Lanes for some fun and laughs 🎉 ✨ All are welcome 🥗 100% vegan dinner 🎳 Bowling afterwards (optional) Come eat, connect, and enjoy a fun Saturday night together 💚 Locations: Loving Hut 6569 E Livingston Ave Reynoldsburg, OH 43068 Holiday lanes 4589 E Broad St Columbus, OH 43213

Come join us for coffee at Matari Coffee to discuss our March book, "The Enchanted Greenhouse"! Book description: Terlu Perna broke the law because she was lonely. She cast a spell and created a magically sentient spider plant. As punishment, she was turned into a wooden statue and tucked away into an alcove in the North Reading Room of the Great Library of Alyssium. This should have been the end of her story . . . Yet one day, Terlu wakes in the cold of winter on a nearly-deserted island full of hundreds of magical greenhouses. She’s starving and freezing, and the only other human on the island is a grumpy gardener. To her surprise, he offers Terlu a place to sleep, clean clothes, and freshly baked honey cakes—at least until she’s ready to sail home. But Terlu can’t return home and doesn’t want to—the greenhouses are a dream come true, each more wondrous than the next. When she learns that the magic that sustains them is failing—causing the death of everything within them—Terlu knows she must help. Even if that means breaking the law again. This time, though, she isn’t alone. Assisted by the gardener and a sentient rose, Terlu must unravel the secrets of a long-dead sorcerer if she wants to save the island—and have a fresh chance at happiness and love.

Join the **Columbus Vegan Meetup** for a night of great food and even better high notes! We’re heading to **Basil Thai Cafe** for a feast, followed by karaoke right at the bar. * **When:** Thursday, March 12th * **Dinner:** 7:00 PM * **Karaoke:** 8:00 PM * **Where:** Basil Thai Cafe (inside VHS Social Club), 520 S Front St, Columbus, OH **Note:** While Basil Thai Cafe is not a strictly vegan restaurant, they have a **ton of vegan options** on the menu for us to enjoy! Can't wait to see you there! 🌱✨

Free at Bexley Library Adventures in Ecological Horticulture with Rebecca McMackin Wednesday, March 18 1:00pm - 2:30pm Gone are the days when a garden could be ornamental alone. We now recognize the impact that our land care practices have on the ecosystems around us, and can see the importance of encouraging biodiversity. Thankfully, we do not need to sacrifice beauty when we invite butterflies and songbirds into our gardens. Rebecca McMackin has cultivated gorgeous landscapes in the toughest environments possible: urban parks, school playgrounds, and the sidewalks of New York City. She will take lessons from her work at Brooklyn Bridge Park, the Brooklyn Museum, and decades of research to share how those of us who are fortunate enough to care for land, can do it beautifully and ecologically. Rebecca McMackin is an ecologically obsessed horticulturist and garden designer. She writes, lectures, and teaches on ecological landscape management and pollination ecology, as well as designs the rare public garden. She is currently Lead Horticulturist for the American Horticultural Society, an Associate with the Harvard Divinity School’s Thinking with Plants and Fungi Initiative, and Consulting Arboretum Curator for Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, NY. Rebecca spent a decade as Director of Horticulture of Brooklyn Bridge Park, where she managed 85 acres of diverse parkland organically. Their research into cultivating urban biodiversity and ethical management strategies has influenced thousands of people and entire urban parks systems to adopt similar approaches. She has been published by and featured in the New York Times, Gardens Illustrated, on NPR and PBS. Her garden for the Brooklyn Museum recently won the PPA’s Award of Excellence and her TED Talk has been viewed over a million times. She holds M.Sc. from Columbia University and University of Victoria in landscape design and biology and recently completed the Loeb Fellowship at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. This program is presented in partnership with Rooted in Bexley and generously funded by the Bexley Community Foundation and Bexley Community Author Series Fund.

Join us for the Spring edition of [Nature Loving Fest](https://www.facebook.com/events/895148649812928), a small, thoughtfully curated outdoor gathering celebrating vegan eats, handmade goods, and the beauty of the season. Formerly known as our Vegan Pop-Up, this new chapter reflects what the event has always been — a space rooted in nature, community, and intentional living. Expect around 20 local vendors offering seasonal vegan eats, small-batch bakes, handcrafted goods, and earth-conscious products. Come support local makers, share good food, and celebrate the beginning of a new season with us. Admission is Free.

A great movie deserves a great dinner! Join us after PROJECT HAIL MARY for another fun and tasty dinner at a CMG-favorite restaurant, FUGU SUSHI! RSVPs are limited for the dinner portion of this event! Here are complete details: FUGU SUSHI: Fugu Sushi offers a truly authentic experience that keeps customers (and the Movie Group) coming back for more. They offer an extensive menu with a delightful array of options and something for everyone! From their top-rated sushi, to tasty appetizers, soups, salads, bento boxes, tempura, delicious teriyaki dishes (including chicken, shrimp, salmon, tofu, vegetable and more), and vegetarian and vegan options, you’ll be certain to find something you love! MENU: https://www.fugusushicolumbus.com/menus RSVP: An RSVP here means you're signed up for the DINNER portion of this event. Seating is limited. If you also plan to join for the movie, please also RSVP in the separate event listing for the movie portion of this event. For the movie, we'll meet in the theater lobby at 2:10pm for the 2:30pm SuperScreen DLX showing. Advance ticket purchase for the movie is advised. Please RSVP in both events, if you plan to attend the movie and dinner. Look forward to seeing you there, Dan

Let’s meet up at this popular sushi restaurant in Gahanna. There are cooked items as sushi. Check out the menu: https://restauranttora.com/columbus-tora-food-menu