After a long absence due to the pandemic, the Pendleton King Park Plant Sale and Swap is back from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 7.
Granted, there is a bias here, but it is the event for all plant nerds and everyone else who has ever looked at a plant twice. You get to shop fantastic plant deals, visit the vendors who bring their fabulous selections, including, fingers crossed, the Hosta Man.
Master gardeners have been busy propagating and digging up plants from their own gardens to contribute to the annual sale which raises money for improvements at Pendleton King Park. The vendors also contribute a portion of their sales to the fund.
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It doesn’t matter if you’re a pro at gardening or someone who might be thinking about giving it a shot, you will find more than you can load in the car, and lots of people who are happy to share their knowledge. Shoot, more than one person also is known to bring pictures of favorite plants.
If you have plants you would like to swap or plants to sell, bring a table and join in.
The master gardeners take over the Franke Pavilion at Pendleton King Park and vendors fill a lot of the surrounding grounds.
If you haven’t visited the park at 1600 Troupe St., you’re in for a treat. It’s 64 acres of bird sanctuary, with wet land area with boardwalks, a pond with water fountain, gardens that each feature camellias, azaleas and hydrangeas, and there’s a touch and smell garden, playground equipment, the tank which always seems to attract the most children, a disc golf course and the bark park.
The annual plant sale began with Kay Mills, volunteer extraordinaire, who started the event as her master garden project. Kay also spearheaded the monthly master gardeners’ volunteer day at the park and the creation of more than one garden area, efforts that continue to this day.
The event Saturday is free and, of course, open to everyone.
Sandy Hodson is a staff reporter covering courts for The Augusta Press. Reach her at sandy@theaugustapress.com.Â
