Column: Friends of Manito Spring Plant Sale

For today’s garden column, I provided a sneak peek into next Saturday’s (June 3) Friends of Manito spring plant sale.

The Friends of Manito is a non-profit organization that supports Spokane’s beloved Manito Park. For instance, one of the ways they do that is with fundraisers such as this. And the plant sales are NOT to be missed!

The organizers do a beautiful job of selecting plants that will excel in our climate.

Column:

by Susan Mulvihill

Spokane residents love Manito Park. It’s where we bring visitors, have picnics and enjoy its peaceful setting. My favorite areas include Duncan Gardens, Ferris Perennial Garden and Rose Hill. What’s more, Mirror Pond and the Nishinomiya Tsutakawa Japanese Garden are such a delight.

It’s a good thing the Friends of Manito love the park just as much. That’s because their fundraising efforts help preserve the park for all to enjoy. On Saturday June 3, they will hold their spring plant sale from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will be located just east of the Gaiser Conservatory.

The sale will include perennials, vines, houseplants, garden décor and edible plants. To illustrate the diversity of offerings, I have highlighted some special selections below. (note: the beautiful light purple flowers at the very top of this post belong to a Bergenia.)

Susan’s plant picks:

Anemone multifida (windflower) _ With its carmine-red blossoms and fernlike foliage, Rubra is sure to create an accent in your garden. It also attracts pollinators, is drought tolerant and deer resistant. Rubra grows in full sun to part shade and reaches a height of 12 inches. Hardiness zone 2.

Aquilegia (columbine) _ This delightful flowering perennial is a must for the spring garden. Black Barlow features deep purple blooms. Leprechaun Gold has somewhat lighter blossoms with green-and-gold leaves. Both grow in full fun to part shade and are about 24 inches tall. Hardiness zone 2.

Astilbe (false goatsbeard) _ If you’ve got part shade, this is a great choice. Black Pearls has stunning purple flowerheads. Color Flash Lime provides an accent with its lime-green foliage and bright pink flower spikes. In addition, Ice Cream delights with soft pink blooms. Heights range from 12 to 24 inches. Hardiness zone 3.

Chelone (turtlehead) _ These plants are admired for their two-lipped flowers. The blossoms on Hot Lips are pink while Black Ace has white flowers and eye-catching dark green foliage. They’ll grow 24 and 48 inches tall, respectively. Hardiness zones 3 and 5.

Clematis _ There will be plenty of these much-loved vines at the sale. Look for the more petite Stand By Me Lavender with a height of just 34 inches. Blue Explosion climbs up to 9 feet. Both thrive in full sun to part shade. Hardiness zones 3 and 4.

Echinacea (coneflower) _ This sun-loving perennial attracts pollinators and provides seedheads during the winter for birds. It is drought tolerant and deer resistant. Check out Firefinch, Rainbow Sherbet, Solar Flare and Strawberry Mousse. Hardiness zone 4.

Paeonia (peony) _ Who doesn’t love blousy peony blossoms this time of year? Look for Itoh Coral Sunset, First Arrival, Paul M. Wild and Itoh Cora Louise. They’ll grow about 24 inches tall and prefer full sun to part shade. Hardiness zones 3 to 4.

How plants are chosen for the Friends of Manito sale:

Plant sale co-chair Gabi Tilley puts a lot of thought into the plants she brings in for each sale.

“My biggest focus is to offer a great variety of plants that are hard to find elsewhere,” she explained. “I try to bring in plants with unusual leaf colors or textures. Above all, I make sure they’re hardy for the Inland Northwest.”

All proceeds from the spring plant sale will support Manito Park improvements. Members of the Friends of Manito will receive 10 percent off their plant purchases. New members can join during the sale.

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.

The Friends of Manito Spring Plant Sale Details:

When: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 3
Where: In the plant sale yard just east of Manito Park’s Gaiser Conservatory, 4 W. 21st Ave.
More information: View the plant sale list at thefriendsofmanito.org/plant-sales.