HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY AND GARDEN CLUB PLANT SALES
I’ve got nothing against garden centres – goodness knows I spend time (and money) in most of them around this area at one time or another.
But this weekend and a week or so on either side offer the opportunity to go to a local horticultural society / garden club plant sale for reliable, proven plants at excellent prices. Full disclosure: I’m an officer of the Mount Hamilton Horticultural Society, which is better known these days as Garden Hamilton, and our annual plant sale this coming Saturday is a major event for us. I’ll be there and so will some of the most knowledgeable gardeners in Hamilton!
But all my bias aside, hort society plant sales have several things going for them:
You’ll see unusual and hard-tofind plants from members’ gardens. (First come, first served, so don’t be late.)
You’ll save money. Most hort society plants are less than $10, many of them far less.
Garden advice is free. Knowledgeable members offer advice and answers.
The sales are fun. There’s a family atmosphere. Bring your kids, a box or a wagon. And bring cash. Most hort society sales are cash only. The plant sales offer perennials, annuals, often hanging baskets and/or patio pots, garden decor, tools or supplies. Native plants and pollinators are a feature of most sales and those plants are identified as such.
Here are a few sales coming up in this area:
Garden Hamilton / Mount Hamilton Horticultural Society plant sale is at Immanuel Christian Reformed Church, 61 Mohawk Rd West, Saturday, May 20, from 9 a.m. to noon. Discount on plants with purchase of a 2023 membership.
Ancaster Horticultural Society plant sale is Saturday May 20, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Ancaster Food Basics parking lot at 71 Wilson St. W, Ancaster
Flamborough Horticultural Society plant sale is Saturday, May 27, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and ties in to the opening day of the Waterdown Farmers Market. It’s at the Royal Canadian Legion at 79 Hamilton Street North in Waterdown.
Brantford Garden Club plant sale is Saturday, May 27 from 8 a.m. to noon at Lions Park auditorium at 20 Edge Street.
Stoney Creek Horticultural Society plant sale is Sunday, May 21, from 8 a.m. to noon at Battlefield Park, 77 King Street West in Stoney Creek.
Grimsby Garden Club plant sale is Friday May 19 AND Saturday, May 20 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. both days. It’s at 6 Lawrence Ave.
Oakville Horticultural Society plant sale is Saturday, May 20 from 8.30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Glen Abbey United Church, 1469 Nottinghill Gate in Oakville. www.oakvillehort.org
Grand Erie Master Gardeners (formerly Brantford Master Gardeners) have a native plant sale this month. You have to order plants online by May 28 at https:// granderiemg.org and pick up plants on June 3 and 4. Plant list and pickup locations are at that website.