Carol O’Meara – Colorado State University Extension
BOULDER – One thing gardeners can count on in Colorado is the complete lack of weather predictability. One spring’s too hot, another too cold; we’re dry, except when we’re sodden, there are thundersnow storms, hailstorms, heatwaves, and enough wind to blow Toto to Kansas.
“Keep calm and garden on” is the mantra that sums up our attitude. Shake off the wild weather with a few plant sales; they’re guaranteed to inspire optimism.
Leading the plant sale season is Denver Botanic Garden’s Spring Plant Sale, May 6 and 7. Huge, packed with plants, novice and advanced gardeners alike will thrill to the event. Bring your own wagon, wheelbarrow or box to fill with new plants for your garden. The sale also features horticulturists to answer landscape questions and offer advice. Free sale entry both days from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; members can also attend a preview party on Thursday evening from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. The Denver Botanic Gardens are at 1007 York St. Visit botanicgardens.org.
Boulder Garden Club plant sale is Saturday, May 7, 9 a.m. to noon at the Unitarian Universalist Church 5001 Pennsylvania Ave., in Boulder. Look for garden gems from members of the oldest garden club in Colorado as well as the Boulder Orchid Society. For more information, visit bouldergardenclub.org.
Gardens on Spring Creek spring plant sale May 7 and 8, at the Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave., Ft. Collins. Northern Colorado gardeners can find perfect additions for a beautiful landscape, bountiful veggie garden, or lively containers. Choose from thousands of annuals, herbs, perennials, and vegetable starts grown by staff horticulturists and students from CSU and Front Range Community College. Proceeds of the sale support horticulture programs at CSU, FRCC, and The Gardens. Drought tolerant perennials of well-known and unusual varieties, rock garden plants, succulents, herbs, ornamental grasses, and annuals for tough places – the offerings are many and varied at this sale. Help save resources by bringing your own carrying box. Plant Sale Hours are: members-only: Friday, May 6, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.; public shopping hours: Saturday, May 7, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, May 8, Noon to 5 p.m. For more information, visit fcgov.com/gardens/.
Growing Gardens extends the plant sale season over several weekends, holding it on May 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, and 22, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Growing Gardens Greenhouse, 1630 Hawthorn Avenue in Boulder.
They offer organic heirloom tomatoes, including colorful cherry tomatoes, paste types for sauces, and delicious, nutritious slicers. They also have a wide variety of organic vegetable starts, organic herbs, blooming annual flowers, perennial flowers, native plants, water-wise plants, blackberries, blueberries, rhubarb, strawberries, raspberries, grapes, vines, roses, and ornamental grasses. growinggardens.org
The Bloomin’ Seniors’ plant sale is May 14th from 8:30 am until they’re sold out at the Louisville Recreation Center, 900 West Via Appia Way, Louisville. They’re offering heirloom tomatoes, peppers, herbs, and perennials grown by club members (cash only). louisvillerecreation.com/pdfs/events/2016SeniorPlantSale.pdf
Don’t miss the Loveland Garden Club plant, antique and artisan sale, Saturday, May 14th, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the All Saints Episcopal Church, 3448 N Taft, in Loveland. With a large selection of annuals, perennials, shrubs, vegetables, herbs, plant lovers will pick up treasures for the garden. There will be Colorado Master Gardeners on site for guidance and questions. lovelandgardenclub.com
Rounding out the plant sale season is KGNU public radio’s plant sale on Sunday, June 5, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 4700 Walnut Street in Boulder. Shop for fantastic starters and gardening supplies. kgnu.org
Colorado State University Extension, together with Boulder County Parks and Open Space, provides unbiased, research-based information about consumer and family issues, horticulture, natural resources, agriculture and 4-H youth development. For more information contact Extension at the Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Rd., Box B, Longmont, 303.678.6238, or visit the web site at ext.colostate.edu/boulder.
By Carol O’meara, CSU Extension Boulder County
