Shoppers browsing plant selections at the Pat Calvert Greenhouse.
BY ALICIA HAMILTON
Nearly 750 visitors attended our Spring Plant Sale on Sunday, April 26, and enjoyed a vibrant, welcoming, community-centered experience.
We sold more than 1,100 plants from our Pat Calvert Greenhouse and Cloney-Harris Plant Nursery. A large donation of voodoo lilies to the nursery was a early draw, with some shoppers making a special trip to snag one for their backyard. Overall, the sale raised more than $10,000 in support of Arboretum horticulture, education, and volunteer programs.
The free, Earth Week-themed event not only featured beautiful plants for sale, but also educational demonstrations, live music, and the opportunity to meet with other local non-profits focused on nature conservation and sustainability.
Greenhouse volunteers Jim Olson, Ann O’Mera, and Virginia Korycki hosted workshops on tool sharpening, plant propagation, and dividing plants, respectively.
Puget Sound Mycological Society showed visitors how to make their own mushroom kits; King County’s Rainwise explained the water-saving benefits of cisterns and rain gardens; and Washington Native Bee Society educated folks about the importance of conserving native bees.
Volunteer Jim Olson demonstrating tool-sharpening techniques.
King County Master Gardeners were on hand to answer plant questions, while our partners at UW Botanic Gardens showcased their wonderful education programs and library resources.
Thanks to everyone who supported the event!
A special thanks to our amazing volunteers who helped with everything from greeting guests and parking coordination to plant advice and selection to sales and checkout. As they always do, our volunteers showed up strong and kept things running behind the scenes across the entire event.
Our Plant Sale continues to grow into something more than a sale: It is becoming a space where people gather, learn, and connect with nature and each other.
Alicia Hamilton is the Volunteer Programs Manager at the Arboretum Foundation.
This event supported in part by 4Culture.
Visitors creating their own mushroom kit with Puget Sound Mycological Society.
Volunteer Ann O’Mera giving a demostration on plant propagation.
Visitors learning about conserving pollinators with Washington Native Bee Society.
Harpist Leslie McMichael performing in the music tent.
