If there’s a better way to start your 2016 growing season than with a visit to the Spring Garden Market, I challenge you to find it.

The 14th annual Master Gardeners’ Spring Garden Market and Home Show will be at Alameda Park in Butler Township from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

This is the third year the Master Gardeners and Butler County Parks and Recreation have partnered to present a day of plant sales, crafters and food vendors that will have you itching to get your vegetable and flower gardens growing.

Vendors will offer garden-related products both ornamental and functional. You’ll find vegetables, perennials, herbs, roses, shrubs, even small trees, to fill your outdoor growing space. Crafters will be on hand with one-of-a-kind items to decorate your garden and home.

If you find yourself hungry from all that shopping, there’ll be food vendors happy to oblige. You’ll find whatever you need from light snacks and treats to entire meals. Admission, parking and shuttle service to and from surrounding parking lots are all free.

Specially planned games and activities allow the children to join in the fun. A gypsy jazz trio and Garden Market radio complete the spirited atmosphere.

The Master Gardeners’ plant sale will again be in and around Holly Shelter. Along with new plants as well as old favorites, you’ll find a selection of gardening gloves and T-shirts.

Stop by the Master Gardener GreenLine table for answers to your questions about gardening.

Identifiable by their bright green vests, Butler County 4-H’ers will work as plant valets, and there will be a place to keep your plant selections safe as you shop for more.

Are you ready for gypsy jazz? The Odd Fellows Gazebo will be the stage for the Rock Jazz Trio, a group of professional musicians based in Slippery Rock. Dennis Grosky, Tony Bellassai and Jane Gregg will entertain market visitors with this lively, upbeat jazz style that originated in 1930s.

Bring the children in your life along. The Butler County Children’s Center has coordinated activities for children of all ages at the Children’s Pavilion, which will be Shelter No. 3.

Assisting with the Children’s Center efforts, Butler YMCA will have face painters on hand and is bringing a parachute for games.

Girl Scouts will be leading tissue flower creation, and the Center for Community Resources will have crafts and dirt dessert-making.

The Children’s Center will provide guidance in bracelet-making, paper kite painting and clay pot decorating, in addition to having games available. There will be door prizes at the end of the day.

For its first appearance at the market, the AABC Art Center will bring materials and pottery to introduce children to the wonders of creating with clay. Home Depot and Lowe’s will be on hand with projects to encourage children’s creativity and give them something fun to take home. All children’s activities are free.

The Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Butler County are volunteers in the Penn State Master Gardener program.

Susan Struthers is a master gardener in Butler County.