Community Clicks
Three fundraising plant sales are set to occur in the Sequim-Dungeness Valley.
Each spring gardeners across the Dungeness Valley make lists of plants they want for their gardens.
These lists include everything from groundcover and annuals to perennials and shrubs.
Each spring these same gardeners take their lists to fundraising plant sales in hopes of finding some of the items on the list.
Most of the time they leave the sales with more than they bargained for.
The key to success at these sales is arriving early and seeking out the plants you want before becoming distracted by other green gems.
SEQUIM PRAIRIE GARDEN CLUB SPRING PLANT SALE
The Sequim Prairie Garden Club kicks off the plant sale season with their annual plant sale in the Pioneer Memorial Park Clubhouse, 387 E. Washington St., from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 24.
The sale will feature hundreds of plants donated by club members.
“In some cases our members have divided their favorite flowers or cultivated others for the sale,” said Elaine Barnhart.
“People are lined up by 8:30 a.m. to find the best deals.”
Barnhart said the sale will feature a huge variety of annuals, perennials, groundcovers, bulbs and vegetable starts including tomato starts.
“The tomato starts always go really quickly,” she said.
“One of our members, Liz Phelps, donates tomato starts that vary in size and variety, but all are appropriate for our growing conditions.”
Tomato varieties for sale in past years have included Bush Early Girl, Bonito Ojo, Chocolate Cherry, Matina, Oregon Spring, Oroma, Sungold, Sweet Tangerine, Taxi, Tiffen and White Currant.
“The beauty of the sale is that you never quite know who will bring what until the day of the sale,” Barnhart said.
“It is always a surprise to see what comes through the door. All of the plants are healthy and ready to plant.”
The sale will feature houseplants, gardening books, yard and patio decor, pots, baskets and other garden-
related items.
Prices range from $1 to $8.
All proceeds will be used by the nonprofit organization to maintain and improve Pioneer Memorial Park and its clubhouse.
Although the park is open to the public, the club is responsible for
upkeep of the grounds.
Sale proceeds will also be used by the Sequim Prairie Garden Club to provide a scholarship for an area high school student who has an interest in horticulture.
Raffle tickets for a wall hanging and an upside-down planter will be sold for $1 each throughout the sale.
All raffle items were donated by club members.
Sequim Prairie Garden Club has about 45 members and meets regularly for presentations, work parties and other activities.
People from all walks of life and gardening experience levels are welcome to join the club.
For more information about the sale or the club, phone Barnhart at 360-683-1333.
MASTER GARDENERS SPRING PLANT SALE
The Clallam County Master Gardeners continue the fun of shopping at fundraising sales with a spring plant sale at the Master Gardener Foundation of the Olympic Peninsula’s Woodcock Demonstration Garden, 2711 Woodcock Road, from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 1.
The sale will feature a large selection of native plants, trees, shrubs, perennials, grasses and groundcovers.
“We have a little bit of everything this year including quite a few native plants, a lot of beautiful rhubarb, hostas, sedums, columbines, day lilies, black-eyed susans and some bulbs,” said Janet Oja, who co-chairs the sale with Jan Noonan and Rita Jones.
Oja said people line up outside the garden gate well before the sale officially opens.
“People are in line with their boxes and plant trays, rain or shine, patiently waiting for that gate to open,” she said.
Although the sale ends at noon, a majority of the plants for sale will be picked over early in the morning.
Container sizes range from 2-inch pots to 5-gallon planters.
Oja estimated more than 500 plants ranging in price from $1 to $15 will be for sale.
“Most of the plants are raised by our members and potted by them or by plant sale volunteers,” Oja said.
“We have nice plants for sale at reasonable prices.”
Master Gardeners go through their gardens and thin out plants, remove plants that need different growing conditions or donate plants they no longer want for the sale.
Proceeds from the event benefit the group’s educational outreach programs including the Youth Enrichment Program, which allows Master Gardeners to travel to second-grade classrooms throughout Clallam County to teach students about the life cycle and the importance of plants.
Funds also help Master Gardeners provide educational outreach programs for the general public, including free plant clinics, lectures and demonstrations.
Sale proceeds provide dollars for upkeep at the Woodcock Demonstration Garden and the Olympic Peninsula Demonstration Garden at the Sequim Water Reclamation Park, located north of Carrie Blake Park, and offset costs associated with planting and harvesting land at Robin Hill Farm, which provides organic produce for the soup kitchen at the Salvation Army.
To assist people in making plant selections, a number of Master Gardeners will staff an informational booth during the sale.
“People can ask questions about where to plant their purchase at the information station or ask any of the numerous Master Gardeners helping out during the sale,” Oja said.
In addition to plants, gardening books and gently used garden items including tools, pots and decorative lawn items, will be sold at a “White Elephant” table.
Sale attendees can also purchase raffle tickets to win a wheelbarrow full of new garden tools.
Tickets are $1 each or six for $5.
For more information about the sale, phone Oja at 360-683-8606.
SEQUIM HIGH SCHOOL GREENHOUSE PLANT SALE
Students in the agricultural program at Sequim High School are busy preparing for a plant sale created to teach them how a greenhouse operates.
The sale will begin Monday, May 10 and continue until the greenhouse is empty.
Sale hours will be from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
More details about the sale will be announced at a later date.
Varieties of plants for sale this year include petunias, marigolds, geraniums and other bedding plants.
In addition, petunia, fuchsia and other hanging baskets will be sold.
During the yearlong preparation for the sale, more than 130 students have learned how to grow a variety of plants from seeds, bulbs or cuttings.
The program also teaches students the basics of greenhouse operation and sales and instills leadership skills.
The sale was started about 15 years ago to provide hands-on training for students interested in horticulture.
Area residents look forward to the sale each year because it allows them to purchase quality plants for their gardens and home while supporting area students, said Annette Hanson, the district’s resources, information and grants coordinator.
All money raised during the sale will benefit the school’s agriculture program and the school-sponsored Future Farmers of America leadership organization.
Prices start at $1.50.
Sale attendees can park in any open spot in the high school’s parking lot,
601 N. Sequim Ave.
People may also make monetary donations to the greenhouse program during the sale.
