29th Annual VanDusen Plant Sale

VANDUSEN PLANT SALE – HOLDING ITS OWN AT 29
(Directly from the press release)


(Vancouver, BC) – We all know of people who hold their age well. Think of garden designer extraordinaire Cornelia Hahn Oberlander or architect Arthur Ericson – two fine examples of ageing gracefully while remaining active and relevant to today’s world. Twenty-nine years may not seem so old in ‘people years’ but it is in the life of an event. Most don’t make it that far, running out of steam, relevance and audiences somewhere in their ‘teens.’ Those that do make it past their ‘teens’, often slip into a ‘mature’ unexciting sameness.

Twenty-nine years ago a small group of dedicated volunteers had a bright idea to raise funds for VanDusen Botanical Garden. “We’re a Garden, let’s hold a plant sale,� they said, and, since it was a good idea, they did. Fast forward to 2007 - that original group of volunteers, some of whom still volunteer with the Pot Luck section, hardly recognize the event in its current incarnation.

Today, with interest in gardening and environmental topics surging, VanDusen Garden’s Plant Sale has blossomed into one of the Garden’s most important fundraisers and one of the Lower Mainland’s biggest plant sales. Never the same from year to year, the Plant Sale has continually grown and expanded throughout its 29 years. Initially it included less than 1,000 plants, ‘harvested’ from volunteers’ gardens (now called Pot Luck), this year it will offer more than 40,000 plants in 16 different sections. While there is still a Pot Luck section, many plants are now propagated and grown in VanDusen’s own greenhouses. Many also come from growers of premium quality plant material. The Plant Sale has often been the first place in which you could buy the new ‘hot’ hybrid before it is widely available in retail garden stores.

What has remained constant throughout the years is that the event is still a lot of fun – for the volunteers (who now number more than 400) and for the thousands of gardeners who come each year to purchase plants. Yes, that’s right, thousands of gardeners. The Plant Sale now attracts more than 10,000 people every year.

“I love to come because I know I can always find the perfect plant for a specific spot, or buy something that is unusual or not commonly available,� said one enthusiastic purchaser last year. “I came in for one particular shrub and as you can see, I have a wagon load of other plants. It’s just too tempting. You can’t stop at one.� In 2006, the Plant Sale contributed to the Garden Association’s coffers an astounding $60,000.

As coincidence would have it, the 29th Annual Plant Sale happens on April 29th this year. In keeping with its 29 and Holding theme, all the Plant Sale sections will be featuring plants that have stood the test of time and are as popular now as they were at the original Sale 29 years ago. For those who wish to plan their purchases in advance and cannot wait until Sale Day to see what is available, the Plant Sale Committee produces a catalogue containing most (but not all) of the plants that will be offered for sale. The catalogue will be available after April 1st from the Cashier Desk at the Garden for $2.

All that plant perusing and purchasing is sure to work up an appetite. This year we are pleased to welcome Aphrodite Café and Mobile Crêperie La Bohême to the Sale. While the plants will feed your gardening addiction, Aphrodite and Crêperie La Bohême will provide tasty sustenance for your body.

On Plant Sale Day, don’t forget to bring along boxes, wheelbarrows or wagons in which to transport your purchases. There will be Plant Hold and Plant Pick Up areas as well as knowledgeable Master Gardeners and Volunteers to assist you and share their expertise.

Never has a mature event looked and acted so young! -- Nancy Wong

The facts:
Date: Sunday, April 29, 2007
Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: the Great Lawn of VanDusen Botanical Garden, 5251 Oak St @ W.37th Avenue, Vancouver
Payment: cash, cheque, Visa, MasterCard and debit card
Admission to the Garden: Free on Plant Sale Day
More Information: www.vandusengarden.org or 604-878-9274