On Friday, anyone who has a green thumb — or those who don’t but wish they did — is in for a fabulous treat. HGTV’s gardening guru, P. Allen Smith, will be speaking at the Natchez City Auditorium at 6 p.m. on “How to Get More Out of Your Garden Than a Backache.”

The event is co-sponsored by Grow Natchez Gardens and Stine Home and Garden Center. Mr. Smith’s appearance comes as a big part of this year’s Symphony of Gardens Tour, hosted by Grow Natchez Gardens, a local non-profit organization dedicated to beautifying Natchez and the surrounding region through gardens.

The garden tour this year promises to be as entertaining as it is educational in that two of the homes on the tour will have live entertainment as part of the tour.

On Saturday afternoon at 2, tour-goers will be treated to the lively antics of thespians Layne Taylor and Rusty Jenkins. Their skit is designed to poke some fun at the woes of successful gardening, and I assure you it will be worth the price of the ticket and the drive to Edgewood.

Also, on tour, from 9 a.m. until noon Saturday are the gardens of Dr. and Mrs. Fred Emrick at The Gardens antebellum home, the Cassagne Garden, the Van Court Town House Garden, the Zurhellen House Courtyard Garden and the High Cotton Herb Garden.

During the afternoon tour on Sunday, a mix of local and imported talent will entertain you with “Southern Songs Along the Mississippi” as you stroll through the alluring floral fragrances of Magnolia Vale starting at 3 p.m. The Sunday afternoon tour begins at 1 p.m., runs until 4 p.m., and includes the gardens of Oak Hill, Rip Rap, the Governor Holmes Courtyard, the Magnolia Vale, and the Purvis Vegetable garden.

Tickets for P. Allen Smith are $10 and the garden tours are $15 per day or $25 per person for both days, and may be purchased at the Natchez Visitor Center located at 640 S. Canal St.

Smith will have his latest gardening publication on sale at the auditorium before and after he speaks, and he will be on hand to sign as well. Tickets for P. Allen can also be purchased at the door, but advance tickets are advised due to limited seating.

I encourage you to take advantage of every aspect of this amazing event. Many wonderful comments have been made about it, and it is fast becoming a staple event for Natchez.

Let’s help this event grow like an enchanting garden, and let’s impress Mr. Smith with some of that good old-fashioned Natchez spirit by turning out a great crowd to hear him speak. To reserve tickets, please call the Visitor Center at 601-446-6345.

Sally Durkin is the media liaison for the Natchez CVB