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Friday, May 11 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Saturday, May 12 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Get great plants and expert advice from area professionals this year at Olbrich’s Plant Sale with the Pros. The sale features everything from annuals and perennials to ornamental grasses and shrubs. Olbrich’s staff carefully chooses unique plants that do best in this climate. Find the newest, hardiest, disease-resistant cultivars on the market. Local plant pros, master gardeners, and Olbrich’s horticulturists will be available to answer questions. Proceeds from the plant sale benefit Olbrich Botanical Gardens. Shop early since quantities are limited. Shoppers are encouraged to bring cartons, wagons, or boxes for carrying plants. Cash, checks, MasterCard, Visa, and Discover are accepted. Maximize your support of the Gardens by using cash or check.
Early Bird Shopping Got your eye on a particular plant? New for 2012, all Plant Sale with the Pros shoppers can take advantage of an Early Bird Shopping opportunity. By giving a $20 donation, you can shop from 10 to 11 a.m. on Friday before the sale officially opens. Olbrich Circle and Legacy Society members are invited to shop early at no additional cost.
Member Benefits
The perks don’t stop there, though. Members save 20% off purchases in Olbrich's Growing Gifts shop on May 11 from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., too. New and renewing members receive a free subscription to Better Homes & Gardens Magazine, as well. An annual individual membership to the Olbrich Botanical Society starts at $40 and includes many other benefits throughout the year. Call 608-246-4724 for more information on membership or click here. Or, just sign up to become a member at the Plant Sale with the Pros.
Pro Potting Bench & Inspiration Station
Take advantage of free container design and pottingservices at the Plant Pro Potting Bench. Get help selecting the best plants for a stunning container garden or hanging basket...then let a professional plant them for you! Bring your own containers or purchase one at the sale, including colorful glazed terra cotta containers. Design Stations Refresh a lack-luster garden area at the Design Station during a short, 20 minute consultation. Local landscape architects will sketch out basic garden designs on the spot using your printed photos and feedback. Be sure to note the features of areas in your landscape, for example, how much water is received, lighting conditions, existing plantings, etc.
Plants Olbrich's Plant Sale with the Pros features everything from annuals and perennials to ornamental grasses and shrubs. Choose cultivars on the market including tropical plants that will fire up your garden, small-scale garden conifers, herbs, and butterfly plants along with hundreds of annuals and perennials. Find rare shrubs and trees, including hardy shrub roses that thrive in the challenging Wisconsin climate. A selection of plants from the American Beauties and Jeepers Creepers collections will also be offered at Olbrich's Plant Sale with the Pros. Come to the sale and find great plants from these collections! Did you know that Olbrich horticulturists specifically select plants that are proven to perform well in this area? Learn how these plants are chosen, and where they come from in a newsletter article from Olbrich's Garden News.
Pros Olbrich's Plant Sale with the Pros is your chance to get personal advice on choosing the right plants for your garden from local garden experts and Olbrich horticulturists who can share their know-how on roses, herbs, perennials, trees, container gardens, and more. Also, shoppers are encouraged to bring a photo of their garden and get landscape design advice from area landscape architects. Here's what the pros themselves think about Olbrich's Plant Sale with the Pros:
"This event is a great opportunity for gardening enthusiasts to share in the wealth of knowledge from all of the Olbrich horticulturists and staff. They order what they use and like, so we all benefit!” Pat Saiki, ASLA Ken Saiki Design “The Olbrich Plant Sale is very unique, mainly due to the plants sold there - many are hard, if not impossible, to find at any local source. Also, you have an amazing group of seasoned veterans available to answer any plant, horticulture, or landscape question a person may have. It’s just a very enjoyable couple of days for people to experience Olbrich Botanical Gardens.” Paul Ganshert Ganshert Nursery and Landscapes “As UW Emeritus Professor of Horticulture with a specialization in landscape plants, I have volunteered at the Olbrich plant sale each year since my retirement in 1994. Olbrich horticulturists select the newest and best hardy cultivars of trees, shrubs, and vines to offer at this sale. Our role as volunteer plant experts is to assist customers in selecting the right plant for their particular planting situation. I’ve had the opportunity to assist many satisfied repeat customers over the years!” Ed Hasselkus UW Emeritus Professor of Horticulture “I can recommend shopping at Olbrich’s annual plant sale with a single plant name, Acer tschonoskii. I’ve had this lovely, small-scale ornamental maple for more than 10 years and it graces my front garden where everyone can see it as a specimen tree. Olbrich does an admirable job of finding rare and unusual plants like this and I have placed a variety of them in my garden over the years!” Ed Lyon, Director Allen Centennial Gardens
Garden Tool Sharpening If your garden tools aren't the "sharpest in the shed" anymore, drop them off at the Wisconsin Cutlery booth at Olbrich's Plant Sale with the Pros and have them returned to you as good as new and ready for the gardening season. Garden tools will be accepted on Friday and Saturday, and will be available for pickup at Wisconsin Cutlery, 3236 University Avenue. A fee payable to Wisconsin Cutlery applies for tool sharpening services.
Book Sale If you're in the market for some new-to-you gardening information, stop by the used book sale at the Schumacher Library on Friday and Saturday and grow your green thumb!
musical Performance Opportunity! Every May, more than 2,000 people attend Olbrich's Plant Sale with the Pros. This year, we would like to invite local musicians to perform during the sale to help create a festive atmosphere! For these special performances, Olbrich will provide a small stage (8' x 8') for the musicians to use within the plant sale area (Olbrich's outdoor parking lot.) Electricity will also be available. Performers are responsible for providing all instruments, microphones, and sound systems. Musicians will be allowed to sell CDs during the performance. Olbrich's Plant Sale with the Pros is a fundraiser that helps support the Gardens, keeping them accessible for everyone. Musicians' time would be considered an in-kind donation for this fundraiser.
If you are interested in donating a performance for our annual Plant Sale with the Pros, please contact: Special Events Coordinator 608-246-5616
UPCOMING Events Tax Planning with an Impact Seminar Summer Concerts in the Gardens |
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Become a member of the Olbrich Botanical Society and get multiple perks at Olbrich's Plant Sale with the Pros. Members receive a FREE Fiskars Softouch® Micro-tip® Pruning Snips just by coming to the Plant Sale. (One Fiskars tool per household, while supplies last.) Members will also receive a voucher for a free bag of “black gold” - Olbrich's Leaf Mulch! No Plant Sale purchase is necessary to receive these great freebies, valued at almost $20! 
Olbrich Botanical Gardens is operated as a public-private partnership between the City of Madison Parks Division and the Olbrich Botanical Society.
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