Attention Sacramento "Green Thumbs"........... a plant sale for you.

If you live in the Sacramento area, check out this plant sale where Mad Man Bamboo will be at (yes, a shameless plug) and The Golden Gecko Nursery (owned and operated by fellow garden blogger, Trey Pitensberger). Here is the excerpt from the Sacramento Perennial Plant Club's Newsletter:

"Sacramento Perennial Plant Club
9th Annual Vendor Sale
Unusual Plants and Garden Treasures
March 21, 2009, Saturday, 9:00AM to 3:00PM
Shepherd Garden and Arts Center at McKinley Park
Speaker: 12:00 noon

The March meeting will be replaced with this special event. Amber Tippett from Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply in Grass Valley will be the featured speaker (at noon) about “Growing Organic…For Life.”

Some of the nurseries participating in the sale have web sites; go online and see the variety of plants that will be available. This is a great opportunity for you to visit many wonderful specialty nurseries in one location and not have to spend your money on gas.

In this time of financial hardship, it is important that we support these small businesses. They are the people who are propagating and selling the rich variety of plants that we have come to love and can not find at the big box stores. Without the small independent nurseries, the look of our gardens will change forever. Many of the plants sell for $5.00 - $10.00 so come support the nurseries and buy one or two special plants to add to your spring planting. Tell your neighbors and friends about the sale, and we hope to see you there.

On this date a grand selection of both new and favorite vendors will arrive with their specialties from the outlaying areas to provide a wonderful collection of plants and gardenrelated art. To name just a few Vendors and what they will be bringing: Back again--Morningsun Herb Farm, Vacaville, herbs galore; Golden Pond, Loomis, aquatic plants & miniature water gardens; Canyon Creek Nursery, Oroville, shrubs, perennials and annuals; Native Springs Nursery, Oroville, Mediterranean and California native plant; Glen Rowley from Magalia and his original handmade birdhouses; Monte Cristo Farm, Placerville, Azaleas and Rhododendrons; Golden Gecko Nursery, Garden Valley and Bob Tadlock, Garden Valley,with shrubs and perennials; Mad Man Bamboo, Rocklin, and Friends of San Juan de Oreinte, Sacramento, pottery.

First time Vendors that you won’t want to miss Twisted Metal, Sacramento, The Secret Garden, Elk Grove, Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply, Grass Valley, plants and gardensupplies; Kevin Henry, Vermidragon Farm, worm castings; Merlyn Lenear, Stockton,The OG, succulents and succulent wreaths.

Most of the Vendors are donating something special for our Raffle. Last year, both Golden Pond and Morningsun Herb Farm created wonderful large pots of outstanding plants.There were many other terrific items as well. The raffle will be held at 10 AM, 11 AM and 1:30 PM. Participants must be present to win. The proceeds from this event help to fundour work supporting community gardens and local horticulture projects.

Bring your garden related questions to the Master Gardeners’ table. They will be there to help you with a plant, soil or bug related problem.

Our perennial plant club will be selling used garden related books and magazines. If you have any to donate please bring them either to the Center on Friday, late-afternoon, or earlySaturday morning, the day of the sale. We also need you look in your garden for what is blooming and bring in a sample (just one bloom or branch) of the plant and label it. We willhave a display table.

For those of you unable to volunteer your time for club events, there is a very important way that you could still help out the club and yourself: Drop by and support the event! It isfun and informative, and provides a chance to buy plants that are unusual, extra healthy and the grower is present to answer your questions. This is an important contribution that youwill be making!"

See you there my fellow "green thumbs."

Sean

Great day at the SPPC Plant Sale!

It was a beautiful day at the Sacramento Perennial Plant Club Annual Plant Sale (SPPC) at the Shepard Arts and Garden Center at McKinley Park, in east Sacramento. Did well selling bamboo and the last of my Japanese Maples, saw some friends from last year and made some new ones this year. This sale is more than just making money, its a social experience. McKinley Park is in a beautiful part of Sacramento in an upscale neighborhood (homes built in the 1930's to 1940's) that is a bit bohemian, great venue overall with customers that get gardening as evidenced by simply walking outside along the sidewalks in the neighborhood (awesome 30-50 year old Japanese Maples all over the place).

I also met fellow blogger, Trey Pitsenberger, from Golden Gecko Nursery up the hill in Garden Valley, CA. What a nice guy, very down to earth. I have followed and commented on Trey's blog (a good one in my book) for several months now and it was nice to meet him in person.

Today was like Christmas morning for me, it turned out to be a great day! I worked my !!@# off today but it was well worth it, no doubt a good sleep is in store for tonight.

Sean