Asheville – As spring unfolds and the grass suddenly needs to be cut, everyone’s gardens start getting more attention. What colors are where, and how can it be improved before we all move outdoors? This is a perfect time to attend the French Broad River Garden Club Foundation’s plant sale at 1000 Hendersonville Road in Asheville. Once there, pick up what flowers or plants you need to fill out those bare spots in the garden. This year’s event is featuring pollinators. It will be held on Saturday, April 23 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Last year, the sale had to be online and only virtual with preordering and a designated pick up date. This year, “The show must go on.” This is the Garden Club’s 70th year of the plant sale.
The Garden Club partners with a number of local growers and businesses with an outstanding selection of annuals, perennials, natives, natural materials, garden gifts and more. Members grow plants in the greenhouse throughout the winter, and some members even dig up and bring their most beloved plants from their home to share with others, such as daylilies, trillium, and lilies of the valley. There will be a number of native pollinator plants as well, to keep the butterflies and bees happy.
Sandy Mush Herb Nursery collects, propagates and sells herbs, perennials, wildflowers and other plants native to Western North Carolina. Coming from their tucked-away spot in the mountains in Leicester, they will once again be at the plant sale with many heavenly herbs and some of their extraordinary wild native plants.
High Country Nursery, from Fairview, is selling highly sought-after landscape plants and trees, including some heavenly red or green Japanese maples, hybrid tea roses, climbers and specialty roses, such as the George Burns or Julia Child. You will be able to find conifers,evergreens, ferns, grasses, and ground covers, as well as vegetable starts. There will be cut flowers on a CSA monthly basis or all summer long from Blazing Star Flowers, in Alexander. You have the option to select either a pre-made bouquet ready to place in a vase or a bucket of loose flowers to arrange yourself.
The Garden Club property, which surrounds historic cabins, is filled with every sort of garden item to tempt you, including hand forged iron garden accessories, fresh floral bouquets and a wide assortment of containers and pots. Lovely garden accents and accessories all make wonderful gifts. Additionally, an “Ask an Expert” will be available to help the novice and expert gardener alike. They are able to answer any questions.
Community Event
The French Broad River Garden Club Foundation plant sale is a community event where you undoubtedly will run into many friends. This plant sale supports horticulture and conservation by providing scholarships for students at many local colleges, such as Warren Wilson, Haywood Community College, UNCA and others. At this event, 100 percent of Club proceeds and donations are awarded to these local students studying the environment and horticulture. Each February, these scholarship recipients join the Club’s monthly meeting to report on their scholastic activities and their vision of their future career. Over the past five years, the French Broad River Garden Club Foundation has awarded annually more than $15,000 in scholarship money to local students.
The French Broad River Garden Club Foundation (FBRGCF), located in Asheville, North Carolina, was chartered in 1927 and was admitted to the Garden Club Of America in 1930. The Garden Club is committed to promoting the conservation, development and intelligent use of the natural resources of North Carolina and elsewhere. FBRGCF welcomes visitors to tour their gardens at Clem’s Cabin at 1000 Hendersonville Road in Asheville. The gardens are managed and maintained by the club members. French Broad River Garden Club has a limited amount of funding available to support horticultural or conservation projects/education in the community. Applications for a project are due May 1. Do plan to come to the annual plant sale on Saturday, April 23, to support them in their efforts. There are some beautiful and unusual plants, which are difficult to find elsewhere and will look stunning in your garden.
As an additional treat, a ukulele concert by the Asheville Ukulele Society will take place gratis from 11:00am to 2:00 pm.