CRAGS (Calgary Rock and Alpine Garden Society) Plant Sale

CRAGS ANNUAL PLANT SALE: SATURDAY JUNE 3, 2023

CRAGS Plant Sale Saturday June 3, 2023:

• Open to the public noon to 4pm.
• Volunteers get early pick from about 11:15am to noon.
• Setup starts about 9:45am.
• Buyers: Please try to bring a tray or box for your purchases.  Each vendor handles his or her own payments, so please bring some small denominations of cash.

CRAGS has been holding an annual plant sale for over 30 years!  2023 will be the 32^nd year we’ve had a sale.  The club’s portion of the proceeds go to pay for our speaker series, which features local and international speakers.

Over the years we’ve relied on our own members who produce specialty rock garden plants.  Commercial vendors have come and, sadly, gone.  We all miss the late Willi Roth and also Roger Barlow of BC.  Lately we have at least one wildflower specialist and an orchid specialist who usually come to our sales.

But the variety and quantity of plants at our sale continues to amaze.  Many member growers offer plants that have been started from seed under lights only a few months prior to the sale, or one to two years prior.  These small plants are often successful transplants into a trough, crevice garden, or other rock garden, after a short period of hardening-off.  Some members bring small self-seeded plants or divisions from plants in their garden, so you can be sure those are hardy in our areas.  And the prices are below what a commercial nursery would charge, as their offerings are usually much larger and older.

Then there are the happy surprises such as Martagon Lily divisions from established perennial gardens, and even tomato seedlings, because even rock gardeners have other types of garden plants in their yards.

Holding the event outdoors since 2021 has been very pleasant, though the set-up is a little more work. (Volunteers always welcome for that!).  We have the option to move indoors at the Lakeview Community Hall if the weather is bad.

If you are a grower planning to offer plants at the sale, or a member wishing to volunteer for setup, teardown, or other work such as cashiers, please contact Patti at [email protected]