For 2018, we split our annual Perennial & Garden Plant Sale across two weekends:  Saturday, May 19th and Saturday, June 2nd.  We hosted the event at the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on the Huntington Green in Shelton. The sale is a highlight of our year, when members donate cultivars from their own gardens. As always, we featured ornamental perennials, shrubs, and houseplants, as well as baked goods and fresh, local honey.

Planning and organizing began months in advance, with members volunteering for various plant sale committees and beginning the process of identifying, transplanting, and pot-acclimating specimens from their gardens.  Plants were collected and staged at Hilltop Nursery.

Above:  ORGC members gathering and organizing donated plants at Hilltop Nursery

In the weeks leading up to the sale, a team of members had potted orange coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida) starter plants specifically for the plant sale.  The Shelton Board of Alderman had designated the Orange Coneflower the City Flower in 2016. The Olde Ripton Garden Club encourages residents and businesses to grow this flower — it is a native plant that will grow readily in our area, and it is a perennial assuring that it will return to our gardens year after year.

 

Despite the rain and cold on Saturday, May 19th, we had a successful day.  In addition to our usual offerings, we introduced a raffle of larger, greenhouse-grown plants, including a mature hydrangea, irises, a butterfly bush, and a hanging basket of petunias.  ORGC member Phoebe Tucker prepared many beautiful arrangements of cuttings from her garden.

Above:  The Raffle Items and Bouquets for Sale

ORGC member Joyce Fedorko featured fresh, local honey from The Hawley Farm in Shelton.  ORGC is dedicated to conservation and responsible gardening, and promoting local apiaries is an important way to support bee ecology efforts.  The honey has been a community favorite for years.

Above:  Highlights from The Hawley Farm Table on May 19th

 

For gardening accessories, ORGC member Linda Hooper created biodegradable, decorative pots in two sizes.  Her display also featured plant identification stakes and home-grown Sweet Annie.

 

 

Above:  Handmade Pots and Sweet Annie from the May 19th Sale

As always, we presented a wide variety of baked goods from ORGC members.  Treats included muffins, breads, and cookies.

Above:  Treats from the May 19th Sale

One of our featured items for sale — donated by a junior gardener — was a yellow toy dump truck, loaded with white Alyssum.  It was one of the most talked-about planters at the event and found a happy home, where we expect it will continue to haul lots of lovely plants for years to come!

 

We were also joined by master gardeners who were present to answer customer questions.  They had a variety of succulents for sale.

 

 

This year, we introduced a second plant sale day.  On the sunny morning of Saturday, June 2nd, we returned to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church with additional plants and partnered with Guy’s Eco Garden for another successful event.

Guy’s Eco Garden of Shelton had a spread of beautiful vegetables, all organically grown and with substantial maturity to get gardens off to a healthy, vigorous start.  Guy also brought an assortment of organic baked goods, including breads, scones, biscotti, and cookies, including paleo-friendly and gluten-free varieties.

 

Overall, the 2-day event was one of the most successful plant sales to date.  Most plants were sold, and the remaining specimen were provided to local gardens.  We’d like to thank everyone who supported us!

Above:  Photos of the 2018 ORGC Perennial & Garden Plant Sale