In the Garden: Make an appointment to check out spring sales
Repurposed tea cups hold blooming pansies for the Associated Garden Clubs of Spokane’s plant sale. The sale is by appointment only and runs from April 22-May 8. Customers will choose plants at the greenhouse based on their appointment time. (Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review)Buy a print of this photo
There are so many gardeners in the Inland Northwest who nurture flowers and vegetables and enjoy attending annual events that celebrate the growing season. While some of those events include garden tours and educational programs, it’s a safe bet that gardeners particularly enjoy going to plant sales.
In 2020, some of those sales still took place but with a different format to afford customers safe shopping opportunities. And guess what? Gardeners enthusiastically took advantage of them while showing their support for organizations that foster the joy of gardening in the community.
Two springtime plant sales are scheduled to begin soon. They will be hosted by the Associated Garden Clubs of Spokane and the Master Gardener Foundation of Spokane County.
The Associated Garden Clubs of Spokane’s sale will be by appointment only from Thursday through May 8. It is open to the public and, appointments will allow individuals or small private groups to make their selections from the club’s greenhouse at Manito Park.
“We’ll have the usual and the unusual,” plant sale coordinator Jennifer Ogden said. “For the collector, we have corpse flower (Titan arum), climbing onion (Bowiea volubilis) and the lemon-scented, night-blooming species daylily (Hemerocallis citrina).
“For the rest of us, we’ve expanded our vegetable offerings with a broad range of tomatoes and peppers, along with bok choy, kohlrabi and kale. We’ll also have the wide selection of ornamental annuals, perennials, hanging baskets and Mother’s Day gifts we’re known for.”
To schedule a shopping appointment, call (509) 309-3983. All proceeds from the sale support Associated Garden Clubs grants, which fund community gardening-related projects in Spokane County. To date, the group has awarded more than $300,000 to projects providing public, charitable and educational benefits. Visit the clubs’ website associatedgardenclubs.org/grant-program/ for additional information and grant application materials.
The Spokane County Master Gardener program is well-known for its annual Garden Fair and Plant Sale. Due to COVID-19 guidelines, it will not be at the Extension building this spring. Instead, there will be an online shopping site available beginning Saturday through May 8. While ordering plants, shoppers will be able to schedule appointments to pick up their purchases at Vickie’s Garden Center Greenhouse, 2100 S. Inland Empire Way.
Anyone who becomes a 2021 member of the Master Gardener Foundation of Spokane by the end of the day Sunday will get early access to the online shopping site on Thursday along with a 10% discount on all purchases and discounts from the foundation’s nursery partners throughout the year. Look for additional details at mgfsc.org/purchase-membership.
There will be a large assortment of plants available for this sale. Vegetable gardeners can choose from an impressive selection of tomato and pepper seedlings. Herb offerings include basil, cilantro, dill, lavender, parsley, sage and thyme.
Those looking for ornamental plants will find a wide variety of perennials such as bee balm, columbine, coneflowers, coral bells, hostas, iris and sedums. There will also be annual flowers, dahlia tubers, pollinator plants, houseplants, berries, native plants and ornamental grasses.
As most area residents are aware, the Spokane County Master Gardeners lead educational programs each year and host a plant clinic where gardeners can get their horticultural questions answered at no charge. While walk-in plant clinics are temporarily closed, Master Gardener volunteers are still answering the public’s phone calls and email messages. Proceeds from the Garden Fair and Plant Sale will help support this worthwhile program that benefits so many in our community.
“Canceling the event last year was a big disappointment for the Master Gardener volunteers who thrive on sharing our love of gardening and what we have learned with the community,” Garden Fair coordinator Tim Stiess said. “The event this year is a bit different due to COVID restrictions, but we want Spokane to know that we are still here for them and their gardens.”
Susan Mulvihill is author of “The Vegetable Garden Pest Handbook.” She can be reached at susan@susansinthegarden.com. Watch this week’s “Everyone Can Grow a Garden” video at youtube.com/susansinthegarden.