Heirloom Plant Sale - May 26 & 27

With gardening fever in the air, Upper Canada Village is the place to visit, especially if heirloom plants are your specialty. On May 26 and 27, the historic site will be hosting an Heirloom Plant Sale and Garden Weekend, where you will not only find some unusual varieties for sale, but where you can also pick up some “expert” gardening tips and advice.

Each year, Upper Canada Village welcomes the season of spring with special attention to the planting of its many heritage-style gardens. On May 26 and 27, the site will be hosting its annual Heirloom Plant Sale and Garden Weekend. No admission is required to visit the plant sale located at the front entrance of the Village.

Heirloom annuals and perennials will be available, including Cockscomb, Celosia, Petunias, Statice, Gomphreria, Lavender, Marigolds, Stocks, Phlox, Cleome, Love-in-a-Mist, Dahlias, Tickseed, Clarkia, Black Hollyhocks and many others.

New this year, the Village will be offering two-year old perennials such as Jacobs Ladder, Sea Lavendar, Pinks, Lupins, Columbine, Butterfly Weed, Balloon Flowers and Missouri Sundrops. Prices range from $1.00 to $2.95 for annuals and from $2.45 to $6.95 for perennials.

A selection of 19th century tomatoes of various tastes and sizes will also be available, including Brandywine, Belgian Beauty and Yellow Pear.

The Village will also have limited quantities of garden herbs for sale, as well as onions.

Upper Canada Village’s own horticultural staff will be at the sale, joined by special guests, the United Counties Master Gardeners, on both Saturday and Sunday mornings (9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.). Together, they will answer questions and give advice concerning plant problems and gardening strategies.

For anyone deciding to spend some time inside the Village (regular admission fee applies), they can again meet up with Village horticultural staff who will be working in the gardens at various times each day. These staff will offer visitors historical information about the gardens, hotbeds, spring planting, and the gardens and landscapes within the Village as a whole.

In the Village’s schoolhouse, a botany lesson and discussion of the garden will be included as part of the daily lesson. Visiting children will be invited to help plant the schoolhouse garden between 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. Gardening staff on site will also have seeds to offer visiting children.

The Heirloom Plant Weekend is the first in a series of events and activities that celebrate the gardens at Upper Canada Village. On Saturday, June 16, “Spring Gardens” day plans include guided tours of the gardens, as well as workshops and garden planting for kids at Loucks Farm. “Summer Gardens” will take place on Saturday, August 4 and “Fall Gardens” on Saturday, September 8.