Plants
for a cause
Nonprofit events offer
great plant selection
Phoebe Staples
uncannily resembles
Anna Lee-Hoelzle’s
bronze sculpture in
Alton Baker Park.
Staples is a legend
in the gardening
community, and the
park has a perennial
border named
after her.
BY RAC H EL F O ST ER
P
lant sales are always fun — unless you hate
crowds. Popular sales open with a rush of
people who come early and know what they are
looking for. Things slow down an hour or so
after opening time, but be warned that the best
plants and the best bargains may already be gone. Even so,
arriving later can be advantageous if you would like advice
on what to buy. There are often volunteers hovering, eager
to answer questions and make suggestions for awkward
garden spots.
Each sale has a slightly different emphasis, but all
include ornamentals and at least some edibles. Some sales
offer art and artifacts. Bird houses are popular. Most sales
have booths operated by professional nurseries, the club
receiving a percentage of their take. Those vendors, as well
as nonparticipating businesses, may also donate plants.
Donated plants, from vendors as well as home gardeners,
usually have a booth to themselves, and the nonprofi t gets
100 percent of the money from those sales. Personally, I
like sales that feature plants donated by club members. The
quality may vary but the price is usually good, and you
never know what may show up.
Kicking off the season is what was once a simple seed
swap but now has grown into the Spring Propagation Fair .
Brendan Lynch, media coordinator, says, “This year we are
focusing on regionally adapted, disease-resistant tree fruit
(especially apples and pears) as well as grapes and plums.
We will also continue the seed swap and have an array of
guest speakers. As usual, people can pick out their scion for
free and then purchase rootstock and have it grafted at the
Prop Fair for a nominal fee.”
What is a scion? Cultivated fruit trees are usually grafted
on the roots of another variety that is a more vigorous or
adaptable grower. At grafting time, the upper portion that
will eventually form the tree is called a scion. Scions from
many varieties of fruit trees will be available. This free event
takes place 11 am to 5 pm, March 24, in the cafeteria at
Lane Community College. Bring scions and seeds to share.
Contact Lynch at 731-1605 for more information.
FOOD for Lane County Spring Plant Sale : 10 am-5
pm Saturday, March 31, at the GrassRoots Garden, 1465
Coburg Rd. This benefi t for FFLC Gardens Programs offers a
“huge selection of organic spring vegetable, fl ower and herb
starts, along with donated ornamental and edible perennials,
natives and trees.” Proceeds from a Summer Plant Sale
to be held at the FFLC Springfi eld Youth Farm (10 am-5
pm Saturday, May 12, 705 Flamingo Ave., Springfi eld) will
go directly to the Youth Farm’s education program, where
gardening changes lives.
This year, the Master Gardeners Plant Sale will join
the Earth Day Celebration at EWEB Plaza (11 am to 5
pm Saturday, April 21, 500 E. 4th Ave., Eugene. Edibles
have always been a strength of this sale, but expect a huge
selection of donated plants of all kinds. There will be snacks,
activities for everyone and booths such as “Ask a Master
Gardener.” Proceeds support activities of the Lane County
Extension Service Master Gardener program.
Sales for Destination ImagiNation always have an
exciting mix of vendors and donated plants, some from
wholesale-only nurseries. This year’s sale is 9 am to 4
pm Saturday, April 28, at the Pleasant Hill Junior High
Parking Lot at 36386 Hwy. 58. Coordinator Joan Hladky
says, “Northwest Native Trees was a vendor last year and
this year we have a tentative commitment from a lavender
nursery.” Profi ts go to Destination ImagiNation, a program
for students “to learn and experience creativity, teamwork
and problem solving.” Contact Joan at jhladky@pleasanthill.
k12.or.us for hours.
Healing Harvest ’s plant sale moves to Cottage Grove
this year. It will be held 10 am to 4 pm Saturday, May 5,
at the greenhouse, Kennedy School of Sustainability,
1310 S. 8th Ave. in Eugene. Proceeds will directly support
horticultural therapy and sustainable agriculture programs
in Cottage Grove and Eugene. For more information,
contact Maggie Matoba at 915-0599, or check the website
after April 1: www.healingharvest.org
Saturday, May 12, the day before Mother’s Day, holds
an embarrassment of riches: In addition to the Youth Farm’s
summer sale, two of the area’s largest sales take place on
opposite sides of the river. The Willamette Valley Hardy
Plant Group will present its 21st Annual Sale from 9 am to
2 pm at the Lane County Fairgrounds, Auditorium Building.
The sale will have 23 specialty vendors and nonprofi t groups
selling every kind of plant you can think of, with an emphasis
on ornamentals. Donated plants are priced to move. There
will also be locally made birdhouses and feeders for sale, as
well as information about butterfl y gardens. Proceeds from
the sale support the Hardy Plant Group’s Speaker Fund and
the activities of Healing Harvest.
The Oregon Plant Fair , “a convergence of specialty
plant growers and garden artists from all over Oregon,”
is organized by Avid Gardeners and Willamette District
Garden Clubs. The Fair returns to Alton Baker Park shelters,
with some new and some returning vendors, 9 am to 2 pm
Saturday, May 12. You can count on “fabulous new plant
varieties and familiar old favorites, along with distinctive
and imaginative garden artworks.” Proceeds support the
groups’ speakers programs as well as donations to causes
such as Friends of Mount Pisgah, Food for Lane County and
the Master Gardener program.
The Sunday after Mother’s Day is Mount Pisgah
Arboretum’s Wildfl ower Festival and Plant Sale (10 am
to 5 pm May 20). This sale is well known for offering many
native plants. Donated natives have their own table, which
empties quickly. Vendors include Jeff Eaton, who brings a
grand selection of his tomato and pepper plants (sometimes
eggplant, too) and splits his take with the arboretum. I’m told
some people come to the festival largely to buy Eaton’s starts.
Another highlight: great food! A $5 donation is requested for
entry, but parking is free on festival day.
ew
Get It Done!
URBAN LUMBER CO.
SUSTAINABLE HARDWOOD SOLUTIONS
TOTAL YARD CARE
& HAULING
• HAND-CRAFTED WOOD FURNITURE •
from locally salvaged trees
Specialty lumber • Custom millwork
coming soon
to downtown eugene
New Urban Lumber Furniture Showroom
28 E. broadway next to voodoo
opening in april
www.urbanlumbercompany.com
541-988-WOOD
WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM • BLOGS.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM
Janice Sunseri
janicesunseri@yahoo.com
344-1968
EUGENE WEEKLY MARCH 8, 2012 13