Home & Garden Columns

Everybody up and at ‘em! Shop till you drop! It’s time for spring plant sales! 

Various chapters of the California Native Plant Society are selling, big surprise, California native plants. Sometimes you can find species at CNPS sales that you haven’t seen for sale anywhere else, and there’s usually a handy plant maven hanging around to give you advice. Another thing I like about these sales is how CNPS propagators are generally persnickety and specific about where the plants came from; one might get a clue from that about where they’re likeliest to thrive, and the information is really useful to restoration gardeners.  

Marin Chapter California Native Plant Society 

30th annual Native Plant Sale 

Saturday, April 14  

9:30 a.m. -2 p.m. 

Tiburon Audubon Center and Wildlife Sanctuary, 376 Greenwood Beach Road, Tiburon. www.marin.cc.ca.us/cnps. 

Regional Parks Botanic Garden  

Saturday, April 21 

10 a.m. -3 p.m. 

Wildcat Canyon Road, Tilden Regional Park. www.nativeplants.org. 

Jepson CNPS Chapter Plant Sale 

May 5, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

Benicia Community Garden 

Military East and E. Second Street, Benicia. www.cnpsjepsonchapter.org. 

Other sales might mix natives with exotic ornamentals and/or edible plants and fruit trees, or sell any or all in various combinations. And at least one local nursery throws a party every now and then.  

Annie’s Annuals  

Spring Party 10 a.m.–5 p.m.  

Friday through Sunday, April 13, 14, and 15  

Mother’s Day party 10 a.m.–5 p.m. 

Saturday and Sunday, May 12 and 13 

740 Market Ave., Richmond. 

I-80 east ; exit San Pablo Dam Rd., turn left at the light. Turn right at third light onto San Pablo Avenue; left at Church Lane, which becomes Market Avenue. Go 1.5 miles past two traffic lights and over two railroad tracks, look left for Annie’s green fence and sign, but no street number. 

www.anniesannuals.com. 

COPIA’s Big Spring Plant Sale 

Saturday, April 14, 10 a.m –4 p.m. 

Sunday April 15, 10 a.m.–4 pm 

500 First St., Napa 

Preview hour for members only, Saturday and Sunday 9–10 a.m. 

Padrone peppers, more than 80 varieties of tomatoes, assorted types of basil. Plants, seeds, garden products and tools, music and demonstrations. For your shopping pleasure, The Nurserymen will play Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. in the South Garden. Sale open to the public (does not include general admission to COPIA). Food, wine, and plants sold separately. (888) 512-6742. www.copia.org. 

Merritt College Landscape Horticulture Department Spring Plant Sale and Fair 

Saturday, April 28 

9 a.m.– 3 p.m. 

Merritt College, 12500 Campus Dr., off Redwood Road, Oakland 

Natives, edibles, weird and nifty plants; live music, food! Also good advice on design, plants, pruning, and life in general. 

www.merrittlandhort.com. 

It’s always a good idea to bring some sturdy boxes to a plant sale—those blue recycling bins are ideal—to tote your purchases. Do I really have to add that gardenworthy clothing and shoes are de rigeur?