Aug. 21 Column: Friends of Manito Fall Plant Sale
I can scarcely believe it’s time to talk about The Friends of Manito fall plant sale next Saturday. The good news is that fall doesn’t officially begin on Sept. 22 but the great news is that you’ll find fantastic plants at this sale! That’s the topic of my garden column, which you can read in today’s edition of The Spokesman-Review: Friends of Manito fall plant sale offers late season additions for any garden. Or you can read my column underneath the video below.
Even if you don’t live in the Inland Northwest, I believe you’ll still find my column of interest. Why? In it, I make suggestions of wonderful late-blooming perennials that also attract pollinators. Every gardener should make sure their landscape has plenty of those, right?
The Friends of Manito is a wonderful local organization that holds free educational events and other special occasions. They money they raise with these plants sales helps support Spokane’s beloved Manito Park as well as those educational events. Their plants are always in beautiful condition and they do a great job of choosing ones that will grow well here. So I heartily recommend supporting their work.
Be sure to peruse their plant sale list before heading to the sale so you can leisurely read through the offerings and make your wish list. I think you’ll agree that the offerings are fantastic!
For this week’s video, I decided to take you on a tour of our vegetable garden. As I explain at the beginning, it should be subtitled “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly!” That’s because this has been a very challenging year. You’ll discover that some crops are doing great and some are really struggling. But it’s all a learning experience, right? I’m already making a list of what to do differently next year.
Here’s my column:
by Susan Mulvihill
How is your ornamental garden looking as we head into late August? If it’s short on color and buzzing bees, there’s an easy way to remedy that. On Saturday, Aug. 27, The Friends of Manito will hold their fall plant sale from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. It will feature perennials, houseplants, and home and garden décor. They have a wonderful assortment of colorful late bloomers that are very popular with the pollinators.
Here are a few plants that are well worth checking out. Most prefer full sun unless otherwise noted.
Asclepias (Milkweed) _ It’s pretty hard to beat perennials that are hardy down to zone 3, deer-resistant, drought-tolerant, and attract butterflies and bees. ‘Cinderella’ features beautiful pink flower heads and ranges from 36 to 60 inches tall. Two native offerings for monarch butterflies are showy milkweed (A. speciosa) and narrowleaf milkweed (A. fascicularis); each of them will grow to about 36 inches.
Aster _ These cheerful zone 3 plants make delightful additions to late-season borders. Shorter varieties include bright purple ‘Alert’, lilac blue ‘Professor Anton Kippenberg’ and rose-pink ‘Happy End’. Taller options are reddish-pink ‘Alma Potschke’ and lavender-blue ‘Raydon’s Fave’.
Eupatorium (Joe Pye Weed) _ There are some lovely offerings of this easy-care perennial. ‘Gateway’ features deep pink flowers, attractive purple stems, reaches about 72 inches in height and is hardy to zone 3. ‘Little Joe’ is a bit more petite with a height of 24 to 48 inches and has eye-catching variegated foliage and showy white blooms; it is hardy to zone 4. The dark, bronzy leaves of ‘Chocolate’ create a stunning contrast with white flower clusters. It thrives in full sun to full shade, grows 36 to 48 inches tall and is hardy to zone 5.
Sedum (Stonecrop) _ These reliable, easy-to-grow perennials really put on a show from late summer into fall. Most are hardy to zone 3 and are a favorite of bees. ‘Autumn Joy’ is everyone’s favorite, and rightly so, but check out the other great options. ‘Bertram Anderson’ is a groundcover with purple leaves and deep pink flower clusters. ‘Coral Jade’ features green leaves and golden flower buds that open to pale pink. ‘Frosted Fire’ has green leaves edged with creamy yellow and pale rose flowers that will also provide winter interest.
Solidago (Goldenrod) _ It’s hard to top the buttery-yellow blooms of goldenrods which are magnets for pollinators. ‘Wichita Mountains’, ‘Golden Baby’ and ‘Fireworks’ are all hardy to zone 4, drought-tolerant and deer-resistant. They range in height from 18 to 36 inches. ‘Fireworks’ earned its name from the sprays of flowers that give the appearance of exploding skyrockets.
Plant sale co-coordinator Gabi Tilley knows this is a great time to plant perennials.
“This is the last hurrah before winter comes, the time when pollinators will get their last drinks of nectar. These plants can take a frost and still keep going.”
Proceeds from the sale will fund projects in Manito Park and support the many free educational activities The Friends of Manito offers to the community throughout the year. Members of The Friends of Manito will receive a 10 percent discount on their purchases.
Susan Mulvihill is author of “The Vegetable Garden Problem Solver Handbook” and “The Vegetable Garden Pest Handbook.” She can be reached at Susan@SusansintheGarden.com. Watch this week’s video at youtube.com/susansinthegarden.
IF YOU GO: The Friends of Manito Fall Plant Sale
When: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27
Where: The plant sale yard just east of Manito Park’s Gaiser Conservatory, 4 W. 21st Ave. Details: Visit The Friends of Manito website.