Our Spring Native Plant Sale 2014
Saturday and Sunday, May 3 & 4, 2014 (to be confirmed)
9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Large, flat location at 841 Ralph Street (house on the corner).
New plants will be brought out on Sunday and more native flowers have will be available this year. Free parking, free workshops, and free activities for children. Indoor speakers, presentations, and exhibits run both days on the Native Plant Sale grounds and in the Nature House. We might have to charge $3 per adult at the gate to help pay for tent and fence rental.
Parking
Volunteer Parking Attendants will guide you to the closest available parking areas. In addition to our parking lot (just across the lane from the Native Plant Sale entrance), some street parking is available on Ralph Street (both directions), at the end of Nelthorpe Street (follow the signs along the trail) and at the end of Swan Street (follow the signs along the boardwalk). Click here to see a map of Plant Sale parking locations. We intend to reserve space for handicapped parking but it will be limited and may be located in the plant loading area (a short walk from the entrance gate).
Cash? Cheque? Credit Cards? Debit?
The fastest way to pay for your purchases is by cash. We have 2 electronic payment terminals at the exit table if you prefer to pay by Visa, Master Card or Debit. We also accept cheques payable to Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary.
What Can I Buy?
In addition to the 6,000+ healthy and beautiful native plants, we will have a selection of gift-shop items hand-made by our Seniors Crafting for Nature Volunteers. At the Cafe our Volunteers will serve coffee, teas and home-baked goodies at very reasonable prices. Please note that the items we sell raise money for Sanctuary projects and we do not rent tables to vendors.
Pre-order your Plants
For large orders, strata councils', and municipalities' orders, this year you may place an order in advance. Pre-orders must total more than $300.00. Taxes are included in the cost of the plants. To place a pre-order email grounds@swanlake.bc.ca. You may pre-order anytime. Orders received before noon April 25, 2014 will be ready for pick up before the sale. Orders received after noon April 25, 2014 will be available for pick up on Monday, May 5, 2014.
Children, Fun, and Learning Activities
An outdoor playhouse has been refurbished by our Volunteer, John McCreary, and will be open for play. Face Painting and craft activities will be set up near the playhouse. Workshops, presentations, demonstrations and displays on gardening with drought-tolerant native plants and developing wildlife habitat in urban settings are included in the admission price. Follow the signs to our Native Plant Gardens to see established flowers, shrubs and trees, and the birds and pollinators that they attract.
Member Discounts
The Friends of the Sanctuary members' discount of 10% applies to plant purchases all year! Please check your membership status and become a member in advance of the sale: call 250-479-0211 or email info@swanlake.bc.ca. At the entrance gate we will confirm your membership status. You can fill out a short membership form and pay $35 (cash please) at the entrance gate, too.
Native Plant Sale Background Information
The Swan Lake Native Plant Sale features a diverse selection of native plant species with the focus on the amazing variety of spring wildflowers.
Priced to sell, proceeds support the Nature Sanctuary's restoration programs. Each plant is colour-coded by price. We accept Visa, MasterCard, debit cards, cash and cheques.
Experts are available to offer advice and to answer your questions. The plants are arranged in the sales area in three zones, based on sun requirements.
- Full sun
- Sun to partial shade
- Partial shade to shade
Within each zone, plants are arranged according to form: ferns, ground cover, perennials, shrubs and trees.
What Should I Bring?
Regular buyers bring a wagon to move their purchases to their car or you may leave your plants on the grass at the exit gate while you bring your car over or one of our Volunteers can help carry your purchases to your vehicle. Dress for the weather because the sale area is outdoors. Wear sturdy, waterproof shoes because the yard can be wet or muddy. Keen shoppers line up an hour early on the Saturday for the first selection but we suggest you shop between 11:30 and 2:30 on Saturday; Sunday is well-attended and more plants will be brought out.
Exhibitors, Presenters and Speakers
We are always looking for volunteers who know enough about native plants, birds, insects or other natural theme to give a 15 minute presentation (speaking and pictures) to a friendly audience. You do not have to be an expert. Contact Betsy Rose at 250-479-0211 for more information.
The Fall Native Plant Sale will NOT be held in 2013
We had to make a difficult decision. So many of your have come to rely on our Fall Native Plant Sale and it is a successful means to increase the number of native plants around the South Island so we did not want to cancel it. But this year we have a list of projects around the Sanctuary that need to be completed and so we decided to use our resources to do this. If only we had the staff and volunteers to do both!
