Arboretum hosting spring plant sale
Celebrate the arrival of spring with a stop by the spring flower sale, hosted by the Wood County Arboretum and Botanical Gardens.
This sale, set for 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 12, features a bounty of beautiful blooms and landscaping favorites, plus an opportunity to participate in two special fundraisers to help fund capital improvement projects.
A special members-only sale is set for 4-6 p.m. Friday, at the arboretum, 175 Gov. Hogg Pkwy. In Quitman. Memberships may be purchased at the door.
“This is such an important event for us,” said Lin Grado, garden manager. “We’ve put a lot of work into this sale, and we are very proud to offer wonderful plants for sale that will be good fits for our area.”
The sale is expected to feature an extensive inventory of show-stopping ferns, grasses, roses and shrubs, as well as popular spring annuals and Texas tough perennials.
One eye-catching plant featured in the sale is the thornless Double Take® Scarlet Quince, one of the first shrubs to bloom each spring.
“It has double blooms that are more red than orange,” Grado said. “It’s also deer resistant and drought tolerant, once established.”
Deanna Caldwell, president of Friends of the Arboretum, which oversees the grounds, said public support for this sale, as well as other projects, is vital to helping keep the property in tip-top condition.
The arboretum operates entirely with volunteers, who help maintain the historic Stinson House, gardens and walking trail. It is open year-round and there is no charge to visit.
To help fund operations and much-needed capital improvements, the arboretum is poised to kick off a raffle, followed by an on-line auction. Winners are to be announced in June.
“We need to replace the wooden surface of the George Bridge, a historic truss bridge that was relocated to the arboretum in the 1980s,” Caldwell said. “Hundreds of Quitman High School students have marked their graduation with photos on the bridge and we would like to keep the tradition going.”
The arboretum also plans to construct a storage building to house its tractor and garden equipment; however, public support is critical to helping fulfill the goals.
“This is our largest-ever fundraising campaign,” Caldwell said. “We work hard to keep the arboretum a place for enjoyment and education for years to come. We hope the public will join us in these efforts.”
People who wish to support to the ground are encouraged to contact the arboretum by email at woodcountryarbo@gmail.com or phone at 430-235-5461. To learn more about the arboretum and its mission, visit www.woodcountryarbo.org.
–Jacque Hilburn-Simmons
