Orinda Garden Club’s Annual Plant Sale is April 15, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., located at the Orinda Library Plaza. The event has something for everyone, including plants, birdhouses and various garden products.
It’s time for the Orinda Garden Club’s (OGC) Annual Plant Sale, April 15 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Orinda Library Plaza. Members will sell plants and associated garden products, including California Native plants.
“Natives are always a ‘go-to’ option, as they tend to require less water, fertilizer and pesticides,” said Jean Rowe, club member. “They often create a natural habitat for our pollinators, such as bees, birds and butterflies. They are rarely invasive and help preserve our natural biodiversity.”
Informational tables offer experts and paraphernalia where club members and Master Gardeners will answer questions about plants, Learn about California Natives and Fire-Safe Landscaping.
Moraga Garden Club member Jessica Fleming is selling milkweed plants as part of her “Saving our Monarchs” display. This is the only plant monarch caterpillars feed on, so they are critical for their survival. She will answer questions about how to attract monarchs to gardens.
Most of the plants were propagated by OGC members at workshops held during the fall and winter. Members learned how to propagate from cuttings and how to plant and grow veggies and flowers from seed.
Club member, Sue Anderson Berger, said she likes to grow special and unique varieties of tomatoes.
“I always select for fabulous flavor and great production,” she said. “Growing multiples of these tomato varieties have allowed me to share with friends, Miramonte High School teachers and staff, the Lafayette Community Garden and the OGC Plant Sale. On average, I propagate 1200 tomato plants, lots of peppers, summer and winter squash, beans and herbs, along with flowers for my bees and other
pollinators.”
Member Alyssa Harris said she’s loved gardening since she was young.“It feels like a miracle that a tiny seed can turn into a huge, juicy tomato, bunches of kale or vases of flowers,” she said. “Propagating by division and cuttings is equally as fun. It’s getting tons of free plants from the plants that you already have.”
Relatively new to propagating, Rowe said she’s hooked on it.
“I propagate mostly by cuttings – mother nature is truly amazing when we can take a small piece from one plant to create a new one,” she said. “I ended up propagating more than 100 perennials for the sale. I tried many new varieties. My biggest successes were salvia, penstemon, hydrangeas, lavenders and herbs.”
The sale features vegetables and herbs including more than 20 varieties of hard-to-find tomatoes from Berger’s collection, hot and sweet peppers, squash, beans and herbs.
“There’s also a selection of annuals, including sunflowers, cosmos and zinnias,” said Rowe.
Featured are birdhouses by Greg Moeller of Lafayette and fun garden-related accessories. McDonnell’s Nursery is selling various products and the Orinda Library has an assortment of used garden books for sale.
“We look forward to gathering as a community to celebrate plants, gardening and our environment,” said Linda Thompson, Orinda Garden Club Co-President.
Bobbie Dodson can be reached at bobbiedodson109@gmail.com.
