Whether you’re looking for herb and vegetable starts, or annuals and perennials to beautify your yard and create wildlife habitat, you are in luck; it’s plant sale season! Plant sales are a great way to learn about new varieties and they are a golden opportunity to connect with your community. As you’re perusing the plethora of plants ready to be taken home and planted, you can engage with fellow gardeners and plant enthusiasts. Gardeners love to talk about what they have planned for the coming season. Garden centers and nurseries are starting to bustle with springtime energy and garden clubs and community organizations are gearing up for their annual offerings too.
Boulder Garden Club
The Boulder Garden Club’s annual plant sale is coming up on May 7 from 9 a.m. to noon. After having to take a two-year hiatus, the sale will be held at a new location, The Boulder Elks Club at 3975 28th St. in Boulder. The indoor sale is easily accessible rain or shine. Many plants at the sale are from club member’s yards and club members will be on hand to answer questions. The sale will include annuals, perennials, vegetables and herbs along with assorted used garden tools and gardening books. The Boulder Garden Club is the oldest garden club in Colorado, founded in 1923. Proceeds from the event will be used to fund civic horticulture projects in the Boulder area. bouldergardenclub.org.
Growing Gardens
Growing Gardens in Boulder is hosting their 22nd annual community plant sale May 7, 8, 14, 15, 21 and 22 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. All proceeds benefit Growing Garden’s sustainable urban agriculture education programs. Here you will find many annuals, perennials and water-wise plants for sale, and they always have plenty of veggie starts including organically grown heirloom and hybrid tomatoes. You can check out their website for a plant list of what is available and for more specific information. growinggardens.org/event/plant-sale-weekend-3-3.
The Gardens on Spring Creek
The Gardens on Spring Creek in Fort Collins will have its spring plant sales this year on May 14 and 15. Visiting a public garden and getting to shop for plants is a win-win, if you ask me. The Gardens on Spring Creek is holding their event in-person from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. To manage capacity they will have timed, ticketed admissions so check their website for more information. fcgov.com/gardens/spring-plant-sale.
Denver Botanic Gardens
The Denver Botanic Gardens is holding an in-person event at their York Street location on May 6 and 7 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission for the sale is free, but reservations are required. They will have everything from annuals, aquatics, fruits and berries, to Plant Select options, roses, succulents and more. You can make reservations and get more information at botanicgardens.org/events/special-events/spring-plant-sale.
High Plains Environmental Center (HPEC)
If you’re looking for native plants, High Plains Environmental Center (HPEC) is holding online sales this year. HPEC will be adding new varieties of prairie and Rocky Mountain native plants throughout 2022 as they become available. They expect to have over 150 species available for your home and community spaces.
You can view beautiful images of the plants on offer and place orders now at high-plains-environmental-center.square.site.
Colorado Native Plant Society (CoNPS)
The CoNPS Spring plant sale is live until the end of April. They will have 50 species of native wildflowers, grasses and shrubs for sale, all grown by Harlequins Gardens in Boulder. Orders will be fulfilled on May 21 at three different pick-up locations: Littleton, Lafayette and Colorado Springs. Plants in this sale are selling out quickly so visit the website soon to make your selections. conps.org/conps-spring-sale-2022/#!form/2022SpringPlantSale.
Spring is an exciting time for the gardening world. I hope you have a chance to visit some of the many fantastic in-person and online plant sales happening now!
By Deryn Davidson. Deryn is an Extension Agent – Horticulture at Colorado State University Extension Boulder County. For more information contact CSU Extension at the Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Road, Box B, Longmont, 303.678.6386, e-mail [email protected] or visit boulder.extension.colostate.edu.
