THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2019 // 17
PASSION FOR PLANTS: Sou’Wester Garden Club holds annual Green Thumb Plant Sale
By KATHERINE LACAZE
FOR COAST WEEKEND
IF YOU GO
S
What: 24th annual Sou’Wester Garden Club Green Thumb
Plant Sale
EASIDE — When
the Sou’Wester Gar-
den Club takes over
the Seaside Civic and Con-
vention Center for its 24th
annual Green Thumb Plant
Sale, visitors can smell the
scent of fl ower blossoms,
mulch and plants long before
they see the rows of tables
spread with the verdant
merchandise.
Yet even with such an
abundant offering, garden
club members still encour-
age visitors to come early
to glean from the plant sale
being held from 9 a.m. to
noon on Saturday, May 25.
“For many years, the
entire sale has been sold out
within the three hours, so
buyers are encouraged to
come early for the best selec-
tion,” said Diane Somers,
a garden club member and
organizer of the annual plant
sale.
While the types of
plants and other items var-
ies slightly from year to
year, the groups generally
offer a wide range of catego-
ries, including ferns, fuch-
sias, vines, hydrangeas, dahl-
ias, grasses, ground covers,
succulents, bulbs, annuals,
perennials, vegetables, toma-
toes, herbs, house plants and
When: 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 25
A rich history
Where: Seaside Civic and Convention Center, 415 First Ave.
(Enter from the west side of the building, as the lobby is
closed for construction)
The Sou’Wester Gar-
den Club was organized in
April 1946 and is part of
the Oregon State Federa-
tion of Garden Clubs. When
the group’s annual plant sale
was initially established, it
included a fl ower show com-
ponent and was held at the
Bob Chisholm Community
Center.
Over time, the fl ower
show element was discon-
tinued and the plant sale —
growing larger each year
For more information, call 971-221-4680 or email garden-
club.sw@yahoo.com.
Submitted photo
The Sou’Wester Garden Club’s annual Plant Sale will be held
May 25 at the Seaside Civic and Convention Center.
planted containers.
According to Somers and
club president Ann Pilger,
they strive to provide plants
that fl ourish in the coastal
environment and climate.
During the event, club mem-
bers are present to help shop-
pers identify the plants and
to provide advice on planting
and growing selections.
Other items provided by
garden club members and
sold during the event include
unique garden art, gifts,
planters, baked goods and
preserves.
The nonprofi t club uses
proceeds from the sale to
support a number of commu-
nity initiatives that align with
their mission. They offer
fi nancial and in-kind support
E x pi re s 5/ 30 /1 9
10% OFF
for the Downtown Seaside
Hanging Flower Basket Proj-
ect, the Seaside High School
Garden, and garden and
grounds maintenance at the
Seaside Museum and Histor-
ical Society’s iconic Butter-
fi eld Cottage.
Supporting local
organizations
Last year, the plant sale
also included a silent auc-
tion and raffl e drawing to
fund the garden club’s Grant
Project, an initiative that is
returning this year.
Local projects and groups
can submit applications for
grants ranging from $100
to $500 to go toward proj-
ects that benefi t the local
community and support the
ronment, and the Wildlife
Center of the North Coast
for their inaugural one-week
summer camp.
club’s educational mission
to “become caretakers of our
air, water, forests, land and
wildlife.”
Gardening, beautifi ca-
tion and conservation project
proposals are all considered,
Somers said, adding they
also award grants “in support
of continuing education for
students in pursuit of careers
in horticulture, forestry, wild-
life, environmental conserva-
tion, landscape design, bot-
any and related sciences.”
So far this year, the club
has awarded grants to Camp
Kiwanilong, which connects
young campers to local eco-
systems and the natural envi-
See Sale, Page 18