Gardening: Volunteers prepare unusual plants for Manito sale this weekend
On a recent Wednesday morning, the Friends of Manito plant sale yard at Spokane’s Manito Park was bustling with folks carefully tending and trimming pots of plants getting them ready for their annual spring sale. And this Saturday, you will be the beneficiary of their hard work.
The spring Friends of Manito plant sale will be 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the fenced parking lot just east of the Glazier Conservatory in Manito Park.
Retired plant sale manager Gabi Tilley said TFM tries to offer plants that aren’t available at other garden centers around the area. Plants are organized by botanical names in categories of sun, grasses, shrubs, vines, edibles, native and shade. House plants and other tropical plants are scattered through the sale area.
As an example, they are offering unusual plants like a bleeding heart called Passion Hearts that can grow in full sun as a dainty clump of finely dissected dark green leaves topped with small dark pink flowers. There are more than 40 different kinds of shade-loving hostas. Native plant enthusiast Ken White has selected a collection of native trees, shrubs and ground covers that do well in a domesticated garden. “There are native plants for any garden condition,” he said.
Sale organizers recommend checking out the online list of plants available at the sale to prepare your shopping list. The link to that list is thefriendsofmanito.org/plant-sales. At check out, volunteers will tally your plants and send you on to the cashiers. They take cash, checks, debit cards and MasterCard and Visa. There is no sales tax on purchases and TFM members get a 10% discount.
Parking can be a challenge so look for spaces in the parking lot west of the conservatory and along adjacent streets. You can park your plant finds near the sale entrance and then retrieve your car. Carpool with other people if you can.
Producing the TFM plant sales is a labor of love by dozens of volunteers who work year-round to plant and grow material for the sale.
Julie Bunker began volunteering four years ago after retiring and looking for an interesting retirement activity. “People are friendly and interesting,” she said. “They make it fun to volunteer.”
Anyone can volunteer for the group, Tilley said. She emphasized that volunteering with TFM is a great way to meet new people, get outdoors and learn about plants. “It’s a community.” Membership in TFM is $35 a year and available at TFM’s website.
All the proceeds generated from the sale go directly back into projects and maintenance priorities around the park.
“Recently we helped replace the boiler in the Gaiser Conservatory,” Tilley said. The boiler keeps the conservatory’s popular tropical plant collection warm and will reduce operating costs over time. Last year, funds helped with the ongoing repair work on the Duncan Garden fountain.
Can’t make this sale? TFM’s fall sale will be Aug. 15 at the same place in Manito Park.