Here is a link to my column in today's edition of The Spokesman-Review: Make your list; Friends of Manito set for spring sale. As you can probably tell by the headline, it is about next Saturday's spring plant sale sponsored by The Friends of Manito. This non-profit group uses the plant sales as fundraisers for improvements that need to be made to Spokane's beloved Manito Park.
I've been a member of The Friends of Manito for decades now and it's been a no-brainer for me. The cost is nominal and I know that any money I spend at the plant sales will go directly back into the park. My membership gets me into the sales early (between 8 and 10 a.m., whereas the general public is let in at 10 a.m.) and I get to attend a lot of interesting and useful lectures for free.
But, as a passionate gardener, the best part of all is that I get to bring home a bunch of stunning plants for my garden! The quality of the plants is always topnotch and the plant sale manager, Janis Saiki, always does a good job of selecting new and interesting varieties that will do well in our challenging climate.
By the way, the plant in the photo above is Euphorbia polychroma, or Cushion Spurge. I just love it. The plants are super tough and the chartreuse bracts really brighten up a flower bed. Another related variety is 'Bonfire' which has red, purple and orange leaves and it's a real knockout as well.
I hope you can make it to the sale.
