The 31st Annual Swan Lake Native Plant Sale is here!
Where: Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary, 3873 Swan Lake Road
When: Saturday, May 2nd 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM and Sunday, May 3rd 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Who: Everyone welcome!
Cost: Free admission and parking
Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary members receive 10% off all plant sale orders
Not a member? Join us to support community gathering and learning to connect to nature and to one another.
Parking
There is limited parking space at the Nature Sanctuary. If you are able, please plan to carpool, bike, or take public transportation to the Plant Sale.
Please see our webpage [URL embedded], as well as the parking map below for more information about parking.
Swan Lake Annual Native Plant Sale Background
Established in 1996, Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary (a charitable non-profit organization) started this sale as the first of its kind on Vancouver Island to introduce people to the cultural importance, beauty and efficiency of gardening with native plants. This wonderful community event remains the largest and most diverse offering on the south island.
In 2023, the Swan Lake Seed Sowers group was started to empower more people with the skills to grow native plants for land-based reconciliation, community connections, habitat restoration, and long-term ecological resilience. The plant and seeds grown by the Seed Sowers are now also being offered in the sale.
100% of all proceeds from all of the Swan Lake Native Plant Sales directly serve our mission of conservation and education - increasing local reconciliation, resilience, and restoring community practices of care.
Why Native Plants?
Introducing any number of native plants at your home or workplace helps one to learn about plants of place, resilient systems, while supporting biodiversity by creating habitat for native pollinators, birds, and other wildlife. Research here and here [URLs embedded] shows that a few pots on a balcony or doorstep can make a big difference for native bees and other pollinators.
You can also learn more locally by visiting our free Swan Lake Nature House Native Plant Garden (established in 1984) or enrolling in one of our Native Plant Workshops (offered since 2005).
Click here for the full list of native plants for sale [URL embedded].
Native Plant Gardening Resources
Want to learn more about gardening with native plants? Join a Native Plant Workshop, proudly supported by the CRD!
Garry Oak Gardeners Handbook (free download) [URL embedded]
CRD Native Gardening [URL embedded]