It’s that time of year again, and the local garden club is celebrating with a plant sale like no other. The annual event takes place at the Carman MCC Thrift Shop and raises funds for both the Carman Garden Club and the store. Last year marked the club’s 95th anniversary, with the sale having taken place nearly as long and serving as the group’s primary fundraiser. What began as a modest sale with just a few plants has grown into a major event—in 2023, hundreds of plants were up for grabs, generating $4,500 for the two organizations.
Funds raised by the garden club go toward monthly speaker honorariums, junior gardening club programming, and various community initiatives, including floral donations and beautification projects.
This year’s sale will run from May 29 to 31, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day at Carman MCC Thrift. The first day is typically the busiest, with the most sought-after plants going quickly, though there will be plenty of options available throughout the event.
“It is an opportunity for people to acquire a variety of plants for their gardens at a reasonable price,” said Liz DeWit of the Carman Garden Club.
Shoppers can expect to find a wide selection of plants, including perennials, annuals, small fruit plants like raspberries and saskatoons, succulents, houseplants, tomatoes, and even a few trees. Each plant has been grown in a Manitoba garden—either by club members or other local gardeners—making them more resilient than store-bought varieties thanks to their acclimatization to local conditions. Prices range from $1 to $10, depending on size, variety, and quality.
To stock the sale, the club is currently looking for gardeners with extra plants to donate. Volunteers are happy to do the digging, help split and replant, and even rejuvenate the garden afterwards. Anyone interested in donating can contact DeWit at 204-745-3839.
All plants in the sale are potted at least a week in advance to ensure they’re well-established by the time they’re sold. DeWit typically stores the plants in her garage leading up to the event, personally caring for them to maintain their quality.
Last year’s sale brought in more plants than there was space to display, yet almost everything sold. The club is hoping for similar success this year. Any remaining plants will either be saved for next year’s sale or discarded if they’re no longer viable.
