Spring plant sales are rolling out across the region, offering a complement to the standard greenhouse or garden center experience.
The 577 Foundation, Toledo Public Schools, and the Toledo Zoo and Aquarium are among the organizations offering an array of native plants, organic garden goods, and pollinator-friendly flowers or lawn greenery.
The 577 Foundation is an educational nonprofit organization in Perrysburg.
“We work in the overlap between sustainability and art. So we have art classes, we have pottery classes, we have horticulture classes, but then we also have classes that use plants from our grounds to make natural dyes, or we have classes that use wood from our grounds to make crafts. So we have a cool blending of the two and we work really hard to make our classes economical,” said Samantha Day, organic garden horticulturist at the 577 Foundation.
The organization hosted a sellout plant sale last weekend, and is helping to grow plants for the Oak Openings Blue Week Native Plant Sale, running noon to 4 p.m. on May 20 and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 21 at Blue Creek Seed Nursery, 7790 Schadel Rd., Whitehouse.
“It’s focused on native plants only,” Day said of that sale, where she said shoppers can peruse $6 wildflowers and grasses and $10 shrubs.
“That’s a really great sale because it’s a partnership from a lot of different organizations to raise money for the Oak Openings Preserve and work to support the preserve,” Day said. “It’s not just a plant sale. There’s a lot of workshops too, but it’s a really cool plant sale for people who are interested in native plants.”
For more information on Blue Week, visit metroparkstoledo.com.
Other sales:
■ Toledo Public Schools will sell organic plants at the Natural Science Technology Center, 5561 Elmer Dr., Toledo, between noon and 6 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.
The Natural Science Technology Center offers specialized programs in animal science, wildlife sustainability, and urban agriculture and hydroponics.
The sale will include heirloom and organic vegetables and herbs, native plants and trees, hanging baskets, planters, annuals, perennials, and mushroom kits. Proceeds will support the school, including funding supplies and other necessary materials.
For more information, visit the Toledo Public Schools Facebook page at bit.ly/3M8hY1I.
■ The Toledo Zoo and Aquarium offers an online shopping experience for native plants such as buttonbush, cardinal flowers, and common ironweed. After purchasing the plants online, visitors can pick up their orders at the Wild Toledo native plant nursery with the Toledo Zoo, 2700 Broadway St.,Toledo.
Pickup days are May 20, May 27, June 3, June 10, June 17, and June 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Plants range from $7 to $60, plus an $80 native bee nesting box.
For more information and to order plants from the zoo, visit wildtoledo.org.
Contact Shayleigh Frank at sfrank@theblade.com.
First Published May 10, 2023, 11:00 a.m.
