Hundreds of plants will be for sale at the New Westminster Horticultural Society’s upcoming sale.
The society’s spring plant sale is on Saturday, May 13 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (or until the plants sell out). It’s at St. Thomas More Collegiate, 7450 12th Ave., just across the border in Burnaby.
“Visiting the NWHS plant sale is something like visiting a thrift store. You never know what treasures you’ll find,” said Audrey Barnes, a longtime member of the society. “You must grab it when you see it, or it will be gone. Whatever you find, you can be sure that it will be a good deal.”
Gardeners will find a wide array of plants at the sale.
“Traditionally, we have lots of perennials at the plant sale, as it is healthy for a perennial to be divided,” Barnes explained. “Divisions by members from plants they have nurtured in their own gardens is what we sell.”
Vegetables grown by members have also been gaining prominence, Barnes said.
“This includes a wide variety of tomatoes, including heirloom, zukes and cukes, squashes and salad greens,” she said. “We will also have annuals and fruit-bearing bushes (i.e. raspberries).”
But gardeners will have to attend the sale to see exactly what’s available at this year’s sale.
“Until sale day, we have no idea of how many plants or exactly what we will have for sale,” Barnes said. “Last year we had over 1,800 plants.”
Along with plants, the sale will feature gardening books—courtesy of a member who is downsizing her extensive library.
Plants often sell out at this cash-only event.
“Our prices are better than what you will find at nurseries or elsewhere,” Barnes said. “This sale is New West Horticultural Society’s major fundraiser, and we came close to selling out last year – a testament to our ‘good plants at good prices’ policy.”
Besides a few minor fundraisers at its monthly meetings and its annual membership fee ($20 per year), Barnes said the sale is what the club survives (and thrives) on.
“Our club has been around since 1934. With an upswing in gardening, we are excited to have a younger demographic joining,” she said.
The New Westminster Horticultural Society meeting on the second Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. in Centennial Lodge in Queen’s Park.
“The major highlight of each meeting is the speaker’s presentation. Topics vary but all are interesting to gardeners,” Barnes said. “The second highlight is the opportunity to socialize with other members who share an interest in gardening. We also have various outings and workshops throughout the year.”
For more information about the society, visit www.newwesthortsociety.org.
