Perennial supporters

On Saturday, the highly anticipated Friends of Manito fall plant sale will bring in gardeners from all over the Inland Northwest. Nearly 20,000 hardy perennials, vines, shrubs, ornamental and edible plants will be available.

But just as important is that the Friends of Manito will be celebrating its 25th anniversary. This group of volunteers has made it their mission to preserve and improve Spokane’s beloved Manito Park.

Charter member and First Vice President Steven Nokes has been actively involved with TFM since its inception in 1990. At that time, Manito Park manager John Dodson was frustrated with the lack of park funding and decided to form an auxiliary to raise money for it.

“I remember how we’d meet in the basement of the old city library,” Nokes said. “Phyllis Stephens was our first president.”

With donations of more than $700,000, TFM’s big-ticket projects include the purchase of the Duncan Garden gazebo and urns, the north picnic shelter roof, the fence around the Japanese Garden, and the south picnic shelter and playground.

“We’ve done a great service to the park,” Nokes said. “These improvements never would have happened without the Friends of Manito because the city wouldn’t have been able to afford them.”

To celebrate TFM’s silver anniversary, three events will take place:

• At Saturday’s plant sale, attendees will enjoy anniversary cookies.

• In September, there will be a dedication of a gazebo in the park’s rose garden, purchased by TFM as a gift to the park.

• On Oct. 17 at 10 a.m., there will be a general membership meeting in the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture’s auditorium at which Nokes will give a presentation. This will be followed by a free catered lunch and door prizes. Due to limited seating, those interested in attending the lunch must RSVP to tfm@thefriendsofmanito.org or call (509) 456-8038 by Sept. 30.

Now, about the fall plant sale:

Manager Janis Saiki has once again done a fabulous job in selecting hard-to-resist plants.

“I choose ‘sure thing’ plants for our area,” she said. “My criteria include spectacular foliage, long-blooming, multi-season interest, drought-tolerance and those that attract hummingbirds.”

Volunteers grow a variety of plants from seed, bare-root stock and plugs. Plants are brought in from all over the United States, Germany, Holland and New Zealand.

“TFM volunteers are the best,” she said. “Twenty-five to 35 volunteers work tirelessly twice a week from March to September.”

They learn how to plant seed, divide plants, prune and label them. Others mix soil, make signs and plant tags, and do the watering so they’ll look beautiful for the sale. Pots are donated by customers, which is a tremendous help to the organization.

Here are some of Saiki’s favorite plants from this sale:

• Agastache (hyssop) – These drought-tolerant plants, which come in a variety of colors, are hummingbird magnets. Also deer-resistant, they grow 1 to 3 feet tall.

• Coreopsis verticillata (tickseed) Cruzin Broad Street – The bright red petals of this sun-lover have orange undersides. It grows 18 inches tall and resists the deer.

• Echium amoenum Red Feathers – Hardy to zone 3, it has ruby-red flower spikes and a very long blooming season. At just 10 inches tall, it attracts hummingbirds and butterflies.

• Heucherella Yellowstone Falls – The chartreuse leaves with burgundy accents are sure to stand out in your garden. They are both drought-tolerant and deer-resistant.

• Hibiscus, herbaceous and woody – There will be a lovely collection of both types, which feature exotic-looking blossoms and are hardy to zones 4 and 5.

• Miscanthus sinensis (maiden grass) Cosmopolitan – This grass, with wide blades edged in white, provides winter interest in the garden and grows to 7 feet. It is both drought-tolerant and deer-resistant.

• Polystichum setiferum (soft shield Alaska fern) – An evergreen fern with finely-dissected, shiny leaves, it prefers part to full shade and is deer-resistant.

• Viburnum pragense (Prague viburnum) Decker – Attractive shiny leaves and fragrant white blossoms make this 10-foot-tall shrub a winner. It grows in part to full sun.

The plant sale runs from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. All shoppers get in at 8 a.m. but TFM members now get a 10 percent discount on their plant purchases. Nonmembers can join the day of the sale to be eligible for this discount.