Sault Ste. Marie

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Spring Plant Sale

To support our work in the community, we carried out very successful spring and fall bulb fundraising campaigns and in 2004 our plant sale raised $6,000. Spurred by this success, we dug in our heels (and spades!) even harder! In 2005, we held the most profitable plant sale to that date!   Our total sales for this four hour event amounted to just over $10,000 and after paying our vendors their share of the cash proceeds and figuring in our expenses incurred to run this fundraiser, the Society realized a profit of $5,299.46! 

To put that into perspective, our 2004 event had approximately $6,300.00 in total sales and we reaped about $3,900.00 in profits.     

The Green team, our fabulous group of dedicated individuals who volunteer countless hours of their time each year to dig up and pot up plants for our annual plant sale, once again produced another successful event in May 2007 with the help of our membership, local businesses, and community organizations. The Society raised over $6139.25 after expenses, an increase of $1012.79 over last year’s sale. May 2008's plantapalooza provided funds to keep our society contributing to community plantings and general projects /events. 

In 2009 and once again in 2010, we provided faithful customers and vendors with a different venue - much more spacious with a larger variety of horticultural-related items for sale.  We have partnered with the Alexander Henry High School - and the coordinator of their Horticulture Program, Sarah Constable. 

We, the society, feels our mission has been met - we are recognized by the public, we have continued to bond with and assist like-minded individuals / organizations to promote the growing and greening of the environment and our lives, delighting both young and old with treasures shared from our gardens! 

We wish to applaud the numerous organizations, local businesses and individuals who donated plants, materials, services and manual labour towards our community projects.

 

And what is a Plantapalooza event without a few words from our previous Event Coordinator, Suzanne Hanna!

 

PLANT SALE FEVER HITS THE SAULT

   

Gardeners everywhere are eagerly crossing the days off their calendars in anticipation of this year’s Plant Sale Extravaganza sponsored by the Sault Ste. Marie Horticultural Society.  Rain or shine, they will be on the lookout for plants of all kinds, whether it be “passalong plants” that lend themselves so well to dividing or the occasional rare or unusual varieties.

 

Since 2002, this annual fundraiser has grown from a four table affair with bedraggled plants jammed into margarine tubs and plastic bags reaping about $200 to an event featuring a plethora of shade canopies and over twenty-five tables of groomed potted beauties spread across a vast parking lot netting our Society anywhere from 10 to over 30 times that original amount.  These funds are directed towards program expenses and the numerous outdoor beautification projects we support throughout our city.

 

What makes our Plant Sale so successful? Passion and a sense of community are two key ingredients. The intense desire of our membership to promote gardening in all its forms has led to the creation of numerous partnerships with local greenhouses, gardening-related businesses and community organizations. By promoting their products and activities, our customers benefit from the wide array of plants-annuals, perennials, herbs, water plants, trees and shrubs-as well as gardening accessories, compost, mulch and gently used tools and books. Our Society benefits from the pooling of resources, the additional volunteers as well as the 5-20% we receive from their sales. Our Green Team volunteers countless hours to dig up, pot, label and price surplus plants donated by our members and the community prior to the sale.

 

Plant sale fever usually appears in May and lasts until fall. If your cheeks are flushed and your head is full of gardening thoughts, be sure to check out our Annual Sale in May . 

Our customers line up around the block so be sure to come early!

 

Click here for a Map to Location of the United Baptist Church (MapQuest®) and to Alexander Henry High School.

Lineups