Plant Sale 2019 at the Sunshine Coast Botanical Garden will be its biggest one-day plant sale ever, this Sunday, May 5 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 5941 Mason Rd., Sechelt. Thousands of garden plants are on sale at reasonable prices, plus garden books, and the Garden’s special recipe organic fertilizer for your vegetable garden.
The list of plants is now up at www.coastbotanicalgarden.org, with both common and botanical names. There are plants to feed you, such as golden raspberry canes and hazelnut trees, and perennials such as false indigo, bleeding hearts, or lovely lupins to wow the neighbours. Choose a tree, perhaps a Patagonian oak, silverbell or gingko. The Native Plant section includes Douglas aster, and pale blue Camassia and Vancouveria.
A few of this year’s VIPs (Very Inspirational Plants) are lady’s slipper orchids, Japanese Primula, and the startling dragon flower, Dracunculus. Some of the Garden’s easiest plants to grow, iris and daylily, come in a huge variety of styles and colours. There are many plants for drought, sun, shade, or wet.
For garden questions, ask a master gardener. Many of the sales volunteers have decades of growing experience too. The Garden wants you to get the right plants for your garden conditions.
Enter at the main parking lot, admission is free. Savvy shoppers arrive early. Plan to carpool and bring a cart, wheelbarrow, bags or bin to tote your purchases. Cash, cheque, or credit card are accepted – sorry, no debit. Set your paid purchases down in the Plant Hold Area so you can shop more, or wander through the Garden at no charge. Shoppers with mobility challenges can be dropped off at Gate 2, marked with a Handicap Parking sign. There are two Handicap Parking spaces opposite the Pavilion.
Sunshine Coast Botanical Garden is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. during summer (closed Thursdays), by donation. Members enjoy unlimited visits plus many extra perks. For more information, see www.coastbotanicalgarden.org
– Submitted by Paddy Wales
