Our team is busy getting ready for yet another exciting weekend in the Garden as our first plant sale since the start of the pandemic approaches. Our Spring Plant Sale will take place on the Upper Meadow this Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be plants galore, all of which were curated by our team. Some special plants propagated right here at the Garden will also be available – purchasing one will be like bringing a piece of the Garden home with you! And if you’re more into browsing and enjoying the Garden with a drink in your hand, you can do that too. There will be food and drink available for purchase on the Upper Meadow from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. Entrance to the Spring Plant Sale is included with Garden admission – so it’s free for Members (but a friendly reminder that you do need an advance reservation!). Plus, as part of our membership benefits program, all Members get 10 percent off their plant sale purchases.
If you’re curious about what plants will be there, here are 10 plants you won’t want to miss. And remember, everything is first-come, first-serve, so make sure to come early!
Mangave SCBG hybrids
These unique plants were hybridized right here at the Garden. They are a cross between an Agave and a Manfreda (sometimes called a false agave), so each one is unique. Agaves are known for their leathery succulent leaves with sharp spines, while the Manfreda has a softer, more bulb-like leaf with purple spotting. Purchasing one of these at the Spring Plant Sale is truly bringing a slice of the Garden home with you.
Jubaea chilensis (Chilean wine palm)
This is a hard-to-find palm, and also the GRANDEST of all palms! It features a smooth and robust trunk, a full crown of green-blue fronds and edible nuts when mature. It’s hardy and perfectly adapted to our Mediterranean climate, so it’s not high maintenance! Best planted in full sun to light shade and with the right conditions it can slowly grow to be 40-80 feet tall with a trunk 15-20 feet wide!
Bromeliads
Bromeliads are a well-rounded plant. They can be planted in containers and kept as a houseplant or planted outside in your garden. Some like part shade while others like full sun – so there’s something for everyone! We will have a variety of bromeliads available at the Spring Plant Sale, so come find the perfect one that fits your needs.
Euphorbia lambii (tree euphorbia)
This flowering succulent tree will bring the whimsy to any garden. It makes the perfect potted tree that is low maintenance and thrives in full sun to bright shade. This tree requires low water so you’ll be helping California’s drought while adding to the beauty of your garden. A happy plant will grow to be 6-10 feet tall.
Echinopsis pachanoi (San Pedro cactus)
This is a fast-growing cactus that features white flowers when in bloom during the summer months. It does best in well-draining soil and will be drought tolerant when established. It can eventually grow to be 15 feet tall!
Grevillea ‘Moonlight’
This flowering shrub makes a statement when in bloom with its feathery, creamy flower stalks. And if you want something that blooms MOST of the year, this is it! It does best in well-drained soils and full sun to light shade. It can grow to be 10 to 15 feet wide and 5 to 12 feet tall, making it a great candidate for a low water hedge!
Tillandsia (air plants)
A member of the Bromeliaceae family, tillandsia are epiphytes – plants that grow on other plants and surfaces – so they never need to be potted in soil. We will have a variety of tillandsia, including the ones seen above, at our Spring Plant Sale. We will also have manzanita wood and grapevines available to complete your statement piece.
Pritchardia hillebrandii (Molokai fan palm)
Bring a slice of Hawaii home with you! This modest-sized fan palm is from Hawaii’s Molokai. It does best along the coast in full sun to light shade where it can grow to be 5-12 feet tall and 6-10 feet wide. It’s happiest when watered consistently.
Pereskia grandiflora var. violacea ‘Royal Queen’
Every garden needs a Royal Queen! This luxurious cactus is one of the few with glossy leaves. Clusters of orchid-like, waxy purple flowers are produced throughout the year and loved by pollinators. These drought tolerant beauties can grow to be 3-4 feet tall and just as wide.
Leucospermum ‘High Gold’
Bring a pop of color to any area with this shrub that produces yellow, pincushion flowers that hummingbirds just love. These beauties do best in full sun with well-draining soil or in a large pot if you have clayey soils. Once established they have moderate to low watering needs and are well-adapted to our Mediterranean climate.
The Garden relies on generous donations from our Members, visitors and community to keep access to our 87 acres open for all and to provide unique horticultural experiences that help people find connections with nature. Please help us continue this mission for years to come by considering a gift to the Garden. You can do so here.
