GPC Native Plant Sale Recommendation

15 years ago

This weekend I went to the Georgia Perimeter College Botanical Gardens Native Plant Sale and want to pass on a recommendation to Ga gardeners to go to this if you can. They will be having Wed. & Sat. sales through mid May.

I was shopping for shrubs and trees so can't give an idea on other types of plants but they had perennials, ferns, vines - I noticed pipevine, Lonicera sempervirens honeysuckle, climbing hydrangea - and a beautiful collection of native azaleas. The native azaleas are so stunning!!! Delicate with such vivid colors.

Shrubs & trees I picked up included Bottlebrush Buckeye, Pepperbush, Parsley Hawthorn (yay!), Itea, Viburnums out me ears (they had several great viburnums you can't find in mass nurseries and I am rather a viburnum trollop), Southern Wax Myrtle, Fringetree, Florida anise, Florida Leucothoe, Oakleaf Hydrangea, Chokeberries, lots more. There were also winterberry, beautyberry and blueberries (blueberries that will actually grow here). I was berry and fall color shopping...

Sorry I can't do better on selection but I tend to be pretty focused and only see what I came for. The plants are quality and prices outstanding. The most expensive thing I bought was a 4' parsley hawthorn (did I say yay yet?) at around $12. The really pricey shrubs were $15. I stuffed an SUV for $150.

The people working the sale are just super and cute as bees knees. What was really great was to see how many people attended. They were dong a clipping business! Plant something different and do it for a lot less.

Also, the Georgia Native Plant Society will be having a sale Spring Plant Sale - Saturday, April 25, from 10:00 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Stone Mountain. I will need a bigger SUV.

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Comments (10)

bugsmom
15 years ago
Thanks Laylaa...I didn't think I needed anymore plants until I read your post :)
satellitehead
15 years ago
I was there! I bought 10 different ferns for a fair price just under $70. I wish I would've gotten more of a chance to look around, but one of the patrons there spooked my DW, and she wanted to get out of there because he gave her the heebee-jeebees. Where were all of the amazing native Azaleas? Was there more than just the outside section? Everything I saw in the outside area (and next to that in the small 25'x25' covered area by the cash register) seemed to look drought- or winter-stricken to me; the Azaleas in particular looked branchy with very few leaves, and not much looked overly robust, with exception to the various Anise (Ocala Anise, Florida Anise) which was beatiful and well trimmed.

I just want to make sure I didn't miss anything in the huge covered greenhouse area. I didn't know if the public could wander into there or not, and had to leave (again, wife insisted) before I could find out.

NOTE: If you go to the Perimeter College Plant Sale, it is cash or check only!!
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Iris GW
15 years ago
The leaves on the native azaleas haven't extended very much at this point (and some may not be extended yet at all), so one would expect that they would look as you described.
satellitehead
15 years ago
I am not familiar with native azaleas, so forgive me =)

We keep having people tell us to plant azaleas in the front yard, "they are evergreen" everyone says, so I guess I reckoned that they kept all their leaves year-round.
Iris GW
15 years ago
No problem! Native azaleas are deciduous. You are a willing pupil so there is nothing to forgive ....

At least I know it wasn't me that spooked your wife ... I wasn't there this weekend!
laylaa
Original Author
15 years ago
satellitehead - I can not speak for the the perennials or ferns, I barely looked. We were there early and it was busy. In a short time the azaleas were getting bought out. I barely looked at them either as it wasn't what I was buying - just noted for a future plan.

I can say that the shrubs I purchased are in great shape, but none have leaves, they are just breaking dormancy which is exactly how I want them. Bought a bunch of sticks with buds I did. I can say that I spent $111 on 5 shrubs at a large nursery last Monday - two anise, 2 Leucothoe and a red buckeye, buckeye was $30 for a 1 gallon (I wanted three of them and settled for one). The same nursery had the oakleaf hydrangea pee wee 1 gal for $24, GNP had them for $9.50. At GPC I got the same size Leucothoe, anise, another 5' buckeye and a slew of other stuff for a lot less and in equal condition or better because I don't feel that they are hothouse babies. I don't want my viburnums leafed out quite yet, particularly with the ice balls we are getting pelted with today.

I also received a mail order of viburnums this week which was $275 for seven plants (with shipping). Two of them were 3 gallons, the rest smaller. They are in great shape, but at GPC they were $8-10 each in harder to find species. Everything I buy requires shipping costs out the ears - usually 25%, plants are small, so for me the GPC is outstanding. I would love to order from Nearly Natives in GA, but it's too much on shipping with sales tax, or a 4 hour drive each way. GPC is over an hour away. My yard has zero in it and I need (erm...want maybe...nah, need) a lot of foundation plants.

I guarantee the leucothoe and anise at GPC were commercially grown, they did not fit in.
satellitehead
15 years ago
I was jut about to mention, my wife specifically noted the leucothoes they had there, and they looked like very well taken care of plants....

...then I read your last sentence. hehehehe
Cindi_KS
15 years ago
Laylaa, do you know if they are having the sale this saturday--april 11? I will be in Atlanta for the weekend, and it looks like that college is just an hour or so away...well worth a drive! I looked at the calendar on the website and it just lists special events. I tried calling also, and there's nobody home.
thanks
cindi
laylaa
Original Author
15 years ago
cindi - I couldn't quite figure out their schedule either. Below is a statement from an email they sent out:

Saturday Sales - Yes - Our Saturday Sales continue this coming Saturday, April 4. Our next and final Saturday Sale will be April 18. The hours are the same as our Wednesday Sales 10:00am to 2:00pm.

I took that to mean the Wed sales were each Wed with their lunch & wildflower events, but they would not be having a Sat sale on the 11th. I'd email them - it didn't make sense due to other previous emails but maybe they canceled one.
Iris GW
15 years ago
No sale this Saturday - I asked.