Plant markets are popping up around the region
“Bullington Gardens is more than just a garden; it’s a place where education, healing, and connection flourish,” says Anne Higgins, administrative director of the Henderson County nonprofit. In support of this mission, Bullington will host its Annual Spring Plant Sale in late April. According to Higgins, this year’s sale will “connect the community with high-quality plants, including native species, hard-to-find varieties, and seasonal favorites.” The botanical garden will also sell shrubs that naturally colonize to help “stabilize slopes and rebuild the resilience of damaged landscapes” in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
Thursday, April 24 through Saturday, April 26, 9am-4pm, at Bullington Gardens (95 Upper Red Oak Trail, Hendersonville). See bullingtongardens.org.
If you’re making marinara, dried herbs will get the job done. But if you want to take your spaghetti to the next level, grab some basil and oregano plants at the 35th Annual Asheville Herb Festival. As the largest herb festival in the United States and Canada, this perennial favorite is the perfect place to stock up on caraway thyme, banana mint, Vietnamese cilantro, and anything else you may need for your kitchen garden.
Friday, April 25 and Saturday, April 26, 8:30am-5pm, and Sunday, April 27, 10am-3pm; WNC Agricultural Center (1301 Fanning Bridge Road, Fletcher). See ashevilleherbfestival.org.
Some kids want to be doctors or lawyers when they grow up. Others dream of cultivating green zebra tomatoes and Carolina lupine. You’ll find those folks enrolled in the Horticulture Technology Program at Blue Ridge Community College. As part of this two-year curriculum, students grow vegetables, herbs, flowers, trees, shrubs, and succulents for the BRCC Plant Sale. According to Department Head Rachel Meriwether, “This event is an incredible way for students to get hands-on experience in the practicalities of plant production as well as learning about the economics and business aspects of this industry.”
BRCC Plant Sale, Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27, 8am-3pm, at the BRCC Henderson County Campus Greenhouse Complex (245 East Campus Drive, Flat Rock). Cash or check only. See blueridge.edu.
Wildcat Ridge Farm, North Carolina’s largest peony farm, will open to the public on May 1. “We will have close to 1,000 plants for sale,” says Chef Ricardo Fernandez Battini, who owns the operation with his wife, Suzanne Fernandez. This extensive inventory includes herbaceous and intersectional peonies, all potted and ready to be planted. “Peonies are the most beautiful and desired flowers in the world,” according to the chef. “[Plants] can last for 100 years.”
Wildcat Ridge Farm (3553 Panther Creek Road, Clyde), May 1-31, 10am-4pm. See wildcatridgefarm.com.
If you want to experience the flora of Southern Appalachia, you could hike into the backcountry. Or you could attend Asheville Botanical Garden’s Spring Plant Sale. Happening the first Friday and Saturday of May, this sale will bring the beauty of the mountains right to the heart of downtown with a selection of annuals, perennials, trees, and shrubs. “All of our plant offerings are native to the Southeast,” says Kaita Collier, operations manager.
Friday, May 2, 12-6pm, and Saturday, May 3, 9am-3pm, 151 WT Weaver Blvd., Asheville. See ashevillebotanicalgarden.org.
Technically, spring begins on March 20. But in the Haywood County haven of Waynesville, warm-weather season doesn’t truly kick off until The Whole Bloomin’ Thing Spring Festival. Slated for May 10, the green-thumbed gathering will feature more than 70 vendors selling potted plants, tree saplings, vegetable and herb starts, and hanging baskets. There will also be live music, fresh-squeezed lemonade, and plenty of kids’ activities to keep your little seedlings busy.
Saturday, May 10, 9am-4pm, on Depot and Commerce Streets in downtown Waynesville. See historicfroglevel.com.
The North Carolina Arboretum will bring plants to the people during its annual Spring Plant Sale and Market, happening the last Friday and Saturday of May. Jamie Santamour, plant-sale organizer and membership coordinator, shares that attendees can expect a stunning variety of annuals, perennials, and houseplants, all grown by Arboretum horticulturists and local nurseries. “We focus on plants that thrive in our area, including some native species,” she says. The event is part of Spring Into the Arb, a series of vernal events happening through June.
Friday, May 30 and Saturday, May 31, 10am-3pm, at The North Carolina Arboretum (100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, Asheville). Cost is included with the regular Arboretum parking fee. See ncarboretum.org.