by Connie Oswald Stofko
Many nonprofit organizations are holding plant sales in the coming days and weeks throughout Western New York.
More sales or plant exchanges may be added; check our Events page for the latest on gardening activities.
African violet show & sale, Amherst
The African Violet & Gesneriad Society of WNY will present Meteorological Violets and Gesneriads on Saturday and Sunday, May 6 and 7 at the John James Audubon Library, 350 John James Audubon Parkway, Amherst. Times are noon to 5:30 p.m. Saturday and noon to 3:30 p.m. Sunday. There is plenty of parking.
There will be a judged plant show and sales.
Admission is free.
For more information, email AVGSWNY@gmail.com
Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, order deadline
Shop online through Sunday, May 7 for the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Garden’s Great Plant Sale. Their Horticulture team hand selected unique plant varieties that you won’t find at your local nursery. There will be no on-site sale this year.
Members get 10 percent off their purchase.
Click here for more information and the lists of all the plants for sale this year.
Master Gardeners, Warsaw, order deadline
The Master Gardeners of Wyoming County are holding a plant sale that is pre-order only. The deadline to order is Friday, May 12.
See the ordering information and plant varieties available here. Plants include late blight-resistant tomatoes, flower and herb transplants, and vegetable plants.
You can also stop into the office to get a hard copy and/or complete your order in one quick step to ensure your order is received in time.
No orders will be accepted by phone.
Pick up your order from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 20 at the Agriculture & Business Center parking lot, 36 Center St., Warsaw.
North Tonawanda Botanical Garden
The North Tonawanda Botanical Garden Organization (NTBGO) is holding plant sales from 9 a.m. till noon on Saturday, May 13 and Saturday, May 20 at the botanical garden, 1825 Sweeney St., North Tonawanda.
The sale will include native plants, shrubs and trees grown by the North Tonawanda Botanical Garden Organization. Planting information will be available.
Perennials will be sold as 4.5-inch plugs and/or one-gallon pots. One- or two-year-old shrubs and trees will be sold in 3-gallon pots.
See descriptions below:
Contact ntbgo@hotmail.com for more information.
Evans Garden Club, Angola
Evans Garden Club will hold its Annual Plant and Flower Sale from 9 a.m.– 1 p.m. Saturday, May 13 at Evans Center Volunteer Fire Company, 8298 Erie Road (Rte. 5), Angola.
Master Gardeners, Jamestown
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County Master Gardeners Program will hold its 11th Annual Master Gardener Plant Sale from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 13 at the Jamestown Community College Science Building, 525 Falconer St., Jamestown. (The GPS address is 241 James Avenue).
Available at the plant sale will be perennials, annuals, vegetables and herbs. There will also be gently used gardening books, equipment and garden art.
To reduce exposure and transport of invasive jumping worms (amynthas agrestis), the Master Gardeners will follow recommendations from the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. The roots of the perennials will be washed and repotted in new soil.
Master Gardeners from the Helpline will be available to answer gardening questions and do soil testing. Take a soil sample and have the pH tested for free.
This is the Master Gardeners’ largest community event and fundraiser of the year.
Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy, Westfield
Learn about native plants in this event by Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy at Westfield Nursery, 8320 West Route 20, Westfield. You can also buy plants. It will take place from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 13 and from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 18.
Kenmore Garden Club, Kenmore
The Kenmore Garden Club will hold a plant sale at 939 Delaware Rd., Town of Tonawanda.
It will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, May 19 and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 20.
Annuals, perennials, herbs and hanging baskets will be available; cash or check only.
Niagara Frontier Botanical Society, Amherst
The Niagara Frontier Botanical Society will hold a plant sale from 9 a.m. until noon Saturday, May 20 at the Harlem Road Community Center, 4255 Harlem Rd., Snyder.
Audubon in Jamestown
A plant exchange and sale will be held 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Saturday, May 20 at Audubon Community and Nature Center, 1600 Riverside Rd., Jamestown.
You can trade in some of your own plants in exchange for new plants, or purchase plants outright. There will be a large selection of native plants, as well as annuals, perennial plants, trees, and shrubs.
There will also be a selection of local nurseries selling plants, including natives, as well as a garden treasures sale of gently used garden equipment and décor, tools, pots, and more. Vendors include Royal Fern Nursery, who sells native plants, and other local vendors.
Audubon plants are $2.50 per 4” pot, $5.00 per 6 – 8” pot, and $10 per 10” pot. Bring your own potted plants to the plant trade-in table to trade them for tickets that can be used to buy more plants! Each ticket is worth a dollar towards plant purchases. Audubon reserves the right to reject invasive species, unpotted plants, plants in poor condition, plants in multi-species pots, or plants that appear to be infested with weeds or jumping worms.
ACNC will not accept plants for exchange after noon. Due to the relatively recent appearance of invasive jumping worms in the region, all plants brought in for trade must be in sterile soil purchased from a store. Seeds must be grown in sterile soil. Plants must have their roots washed clean of soil (and the invasive worm eggs that may be embedded) in order to be accepted for trade.
Volunteer Master Gardeners will be on hand to give advice at the advice table.
Master Gardeners, Batavia
Rain or shine, the Genesee County Master Gardeners will host their annual Spring Garden Gala from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 20, at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County, 420 East Main St., Batavia. (The plant sale starts promptly at 10 a.m.; no early birds please.)
This annual plant sale features a variety of perennials, many of which are from the gardens of Master Gardeners. There will also be a selection of house plants.
Visit the Basket Auction for garden art, gift certificates and a variety of themed baskets. The Basket Auction drawing starts at 12:30 p.m. Gently used garden books will also be for sale.
The garden garage sale was so popular last year, they’re doing it again. They’ll have an assortment of gently used or maybe never used gardening items such as containers, tools, signs and garden decor. This will be set up in the parking lot area near the garden shed.
Take a soil sample from your garden or lawn for a free pH test. (A half-cup sample of your garden soil in a clean container is plenty.) Master Gardeners will be available to answer your gardening questions.
Proceeds from the sale benefit the educational outreach of the Genesee County Master Gardener Program.
For more information, see the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County website, call (585) 343-3040, ext. 101, or stop by the Extension office. Like them on their Facebook page for updates on the Spring Gala and Master Gardener program.
Hawk Creek Wildlife Center, West Falls
Hawk Creek Wildlife Center will hold its yearly perennial sale fundraiser from 9am-3pm Friday through Sunday, May 26, 27, 28 at the Hawk Creek Wildlife Center, 1963 Mill Rd., West Falls (just outside of East Aurora).
Take advantage of the great selection of beautiful perennials for sale at affordable prices. Proceeds benefit the nonprofit mission and animals of Hawk Creek Wildlife Center.
Guests can take self-guided tours of the center to view animal residents & speak with the naturalists for $8 donation per adult and $5 per child from 10 am – 3pm. Don’t miss this chance to see live owls, hawks, falcons, and wildcats up-close and in-person.
East Aurora Garden Club
East Aurora Garden Club will hold its perennial sale from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 27 in the Aurora Village Plaza (between TJ Maxx and Pet Smart), 123 Grey St., East Aurora.
Master Gardener Plant Sale, Buffalo
The Cornell Cooperative Extension of Erie County Master Gardener Program will hold its annual plant sale from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, May 26 and from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 27 at the First Presbyterian Church of Buffalo, One Symphony Circle, Buffalo.
The sale includes a choice selection of sun and shade perennials, natives, herbs, annuals, shrubs, and vegetables from the gardens of Master Gardener volunteers, as well as plants donated from area horticultural businesses: annuals, hanging baskets, and houseplants.
Master Gardener volunteers will be available throughout the sale to share education on selecting and growing plants. Soil pH testing will be available for $2 per sample, or $5 for three samples.
For more information, contact the CCE Erie Master Gardener Program at (716) 652-5400, ext. 202 or mgerie@cornell.edu.
