Hmmm..I think I know what I will be doing on mothers day this year!!

This is a great sale! I don't know how it will be at the fairgrounds, but in previous years people were lined up around the block with their wagons, boxes, plastic sleds, etc. an HOUR before the sale opened on the first day. They are very organized, but it was definitely crowded so I am volunteering this year so that I can go to the pre-sale.

DD says her garden wagon will fit in their van, so we're going prepared!

Oh thank you for the tip about bringing a wagon, guess my girls can walk and I can fill it up with the plants I get. Do you really think that there will be a line up to get in??

Yes. It's a hugely popular sale. They are having it at the State Fair grounds this year it's so popular.

I am so glad that this was posted here, I checked the web site and found some of the grasses that I have trying to get.I was also going over the perrenials too. Oh I am goign to be like a kid in the candy store.

It's a good idea to get hold of their catalog now and plan ahead, even though you will of course buy all sorts of other things when you see them! In the crowd and excitement, it's easy to overlook plants you really want.

The plant sale is indeed wonderful, but they are very optimistic in the survivability of some of their perennials. For instance, they sell Bloody Dock, a beautiful plant which is really only hardy in zone 6, if I recall, and certainly did not make it through a Minnesota winter. Same with geranium Rozanne, which did bloom all summer, but didn't make it through winter.

Well, I don't know anything at all about this distributor, but just making an observation...it's really hard to generalize about the hardiness of perennials - that's one of the things that makes gardening such fun! Rumex sanguineus var. sanguineus has wintered for me here...

We moved from St. Paul to Chicago in December and I'm making a road trip north just for this sale. I wouldn't miss it (especially given the quality and number of garden centers down here....along with the prices!).

I just thought I would bump this post back up towards the top since it is coming up soon. I see that they are selling a grass that I have been looking for so I can't wait to go.

North Hennepin Community College is also having a plant sale that Friday......just may have to convince DD that I have to take that in also, as we will be staying nearby. And I will also want to get to Malmbergs, of course!

Hi there-
I wanted to be sure to mention that West St Paul will be in the midst of Cinco De Mayo- with good food and art and performers all day Friday and Saturday for those who might wish to go-
I was surprised to see the North Hennepin Plant sale on Friday also! Are there any more details about this sale?
Julie

Julie, I should have said that was the North Hennepin Technical College, along with Dist. 287. It's at 9000 Brooklyn Blvd. The Arboretum is also having a hosta sale on May 7.

Yesterday I spent 5 hours helping to unload the trucks for the Friends sale and organizing the plants -- everything looked very healthy! Have fun!

Those of you that have already been there how was it at the State Fair?

It was fine. Parking on the west side of the Grand Stand. Short line at 2:00 to get in (entrance on the east side of the Grand Stand). More room than last year, but people still get in a bit of a frenzy to get to their stuff....this always amazes me. Bring your wagon, if you have one. Also bring your own pen/pencil....they were running low. They have a spot manned by students where you can drive up to pick up your loot. The map they hand out isn't as detailed as I think last years was......write down your catalog numbers in advance (they tables are in order). The Lily Shop is off to the N. side....it took me a while of wandering around to spot it. Checkout was a breeeze.

I wanted pink bleeding hearts (old fashioned - bare root) and they were already out :-(

I got there about 1pm. A little longer line then, and when I left the parking lot had less than half the cars as when I came.

I hadn't gone for two years, but plants in general are larger now. That can be good or bad, as they flop easier, but everything is very healthy. The trilliums look especially good, although you just can't keep one of those in a pot without if flopping.

The Aquilegia ecalcarata is on steroids. I never new they got so large!

I got there around 11:30. The line to get in was about 2-3 blocks long, almost to the parking lot, although it moved quickly. Once inside it is best to park your wagon and pick up what you want with a flat. There are so many wagons and strollers and such- I found it hard to navigate my wagon through there- but was very glad to have it- as the line to check out was long- it was wraped all around the inside walls and creeping back outside- and a bit slow. But the conversation with others waiting in line was great! I was able to find all I had really wanted- but others were surprised that some things were already sold out- although, I saw less crop failure signs this year. Great plants- good prices- friendly folks- I thought the layout was a bit confusing- I went with a prepared list- and finding the correct numbers in the rows jammed with folks was as well as the finding the location of the different areas daunting- But- that is how this sale is- all a little eager- happy- and busteling! I met a woman from PA who had heard about this sale for years- she seemed so pleased to have arrived- I don't know of too many other sales that attract from so far away!
On another note- the Henn. Tech. sale was one I don't want to miss next year also! Thanks Phyllis for the post! Their prices were better than Friends- but selection was much smaller of course. Well worth the trip if you have the time! Some of their plants were pretty small yet- others huge! I will go to both again!
Happy shopping to you!
Julie

SuzyQ2 - the answer to the bleeding hearts is not that they were "sold out" - we thought so too, but found that they were back with the lilies! They were selling them as bare-root :) Had plenty yesterday afternoon about 1pm, did they have a run on them then I wonder...

Julie we were there then too - we must have missed each other *laugh* gee... what a surprise! It was HEAVING! But by 1pm it was only about 1/2 the number of folks and we had elbow room again. (We were there from about 11:30 until like 1:30)

Wish I could have run into you all! Rick, we were checking out when you arrived :)

-Marie

Selkie - I did locate them back by the lilies, but they were out. I got the white, not the pink. They did say if I went back today...they would probably have more. If it rains...I may just run over there (I live close). I was at the lily shop at about 2:30 yesterday. It sounded like they had just run out.

A friend who was at the sale Saturday morning said that a lot of plants were looking very droopy but that more trucks were arriving. I don't know if they're overwatering or what, but all the plants were fine on Thursday night.

Has anyone ever been to the half-price sale? Is it worth going to?

I am going today so I will let you know later today.

Well, we had a wonderful time. We had a large flat garden cart, and SIL had made a three-tiered shelf for us at the last minute, and it was marvelous, albeit a bit tippy! It got a lot of admiring glances. Three DD's and I were together, and found it fun and got some very reasonable buys. We had been at Malmborgs the evening before, so that was fun, too. Also went to Lyndale Gardens and Bachman's before we hit the trail for home. Above mentioned SIL packed our car. Oh, did I mention we had also gone to a garage sale and got bar stools, book case, etc?!!!

I went to the Sunday sale, it was fun we got there 45 min early and we were about 25th in line and the line behind us was crazy. I got some nice plants, but none that were on my wishlist...next year maybe. I did get some nice plants some quite small but hey for .50 cents for the yucca who cares if it is small. it will grow!!I also got 2 hostas, wave petunias, phlox, fern, asters, lilies, yellow echinacea...I think that is it.