In the Garden: Local plant sales mean spring has sprung

You know it’s officially spring when plant sales start cropping up around town. Two big sales are scheduled for next weekend and the purchases you make at each will benefit the community.

The Spokane County Master Gardeners’ annual Garden Fair and Plant Sale is April 27 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. It will be held in and around the Spokane County Extension building located at 222 N. Havana St.

“This is a great opportunity to find great deals on plants while utilizing Master Gardener volunteers as resources on which plants to buy, how to plant them, and any other questions they might have about their garden,” said Garden Fair lead Tim Stiess. “At the same time, this fundraiser increases the public’s awareness of what the Master Program has to offer.”

Plants available at this event include vegetables, herbs, berries, dahlias, grasses, perennials and native plants. There will also be garden books for sale and information booths on adaptive gardening tools and raised bed gardening. Local vendors will have plants, tools and other products for sale.

Stiess added that many garden-related community organizations will have booths where visitors can get information and ask questions.

According to Ken Johnson, the vegetable booth lead, there will be both heirloom and hybrid vegetable plants available including tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, peas, pumpkins and melons.

“All of our veggies are grown from seed, loved, tended and cared for by Master Gardeners,” he said. “Our experienced volunteers can help shoppers make selections and answer their plant and gardening questions.”

Those interested in growing herbs will find easy-care annual and perennial herbs.

“We’ll have basil, parsley, cilantro, rosemary, sage, oregano, mint, thyme, lavender, violas and catnip,” booth lead Connie Curtin said. “Our volunteers will be available to provide information about the growing conditions, culinary and decorative uses of herbs and answer questions.”

The other plant sale taking place next weekend will be put on by the Associated Garden Clubs of Spokane. It is scheduled for April 27 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and April 28 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Manito Park.

Plant-purchasing opportunities will include a wide selection of annuals, perennials, hanging baskets, houseplants, and organic vegetables and herbs. There will even be plant cuttings from Manito’s Gaiser Conservatory as well as customized container plantings.

All proceeds from this sale will benefit local nonprofit organizations in our community. Last year’s recipients included the North Hill Neighborhood Council for a nature-inspired mural by Daniel Lopez, the Sister Cities Association of Spokane for assistance with a sculpture garden in Riverfront Park, Manito Park to restore features of Rose Hill, and Excelsior Youth Center to help create a certified arboretum.

The Associated Garden Clubs of Spokane recently opened its 2019 funding round for community gardening-related projects within Spokane County. Those interested in applying for a grant should visit associatedgardenclubs.org and must submit their application by May 15. Last year, the Associated Garden Clubs of Spokane donated more than $15,000 to grant recipients and has donated more than $275,000 over the years.