Penn's Morris Arboretum Annual Plant Sale

On Friday and Saturday, May 10 and 11, the Morris Arboretum will host its annual Plant Sale at the Horticulture Center at Bloomfield Farm, across the street from the Arboretum’s public garden. Friday is Members-Only day so now is a perfect time to become a Morris Arboretum member for first picks on great plants. Saturday is open to the public.
 
The 2013 Plant Sale will once again showcase an unusual and hard-to-find selection of plants all grown by local nurseries familiar with our climate and soils so their selections are well suited to thrive in this area.  In annuals, an interesting selection of begonias will be offered such as Begonia boliviensis ‘Bonfire Scarlet’, which has a profusion of eye catching, dark red flowers, and Begonia x ‘Doublet’ an easy care, fibrous begonia with loads of double blossoms.  Or try something new such as Browallia, covered with blue and white star shaped blooms, or Torenia that features snapdragon like flowers in a range of colors.
 
The Arboretum’s Plant Sale is always full of interesting perennials and woody plants that are not widely available at most local retailers.  This year in perennials, hearty herbs will be featured that include lavender, chamomile, and rosemary.  Look for Lavandula x intermedia ‘Phenomenal’ – Phenomenal Lavender that is extremely tolerant to heat and humidity with superior winter survival and Origanum laevigatum 'Kent Beauty' – Kent Beauty Oregano, which has unique, drooping pink-bracted hop-like flowers and fragrant foliage.
 
Several choice deciduous shrubs are being offered, all with fabulous color from berries to blooms.  Two featured plants are Nikko Slender Deutzia (Deutzia gracilis ‘Nikko’), a dwarf rounded shrub with tiny white flowers, and Kleim’s Hardy Gardenia (Gardenia ‘Kleim’s Hardy’), an evergreen, slow-growing, mounded shrub that blooms in late spring into summer with fragrant white flowers.
 
A special selection of roses is offered this year, both old and new, dating from as early as 1513 on up to 2006.  And available this year, for the first time, are Earth-Kind ® roses, a special designation made for select rose cultivars.  These roses demonstrate superior pest tolerance, outstanding landscape performance, and once established, have excellent heat and drought tolerance.
 
The Greater Philadelphia Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society returns to the Morris Arboretum Plant Sale again this year. A large selection of outstanding rhododendrons, all hardy in the Delaware Valley, will be offered, many of which are not available elsewhere. Each was selected for the beauty of its flowers and foliage, and the appeal they add to the garden.
 
For Morris Arboretum members, the 2013 free Dividend Plants are very special: Polystichum polyblepharum – Japanese Tassel Fern;  Ocimum basilicum – Columnar Basil;  Syringa oblate var.dilatata ‘Cheyenne’ – Cheyenne early lilac; Camellia sinensis – Tea of Commerce.  Once again, the Arboretum will offer some very unusual “surprise!” Dividends this year!  Most of the plants were grown from wild-collected seed from plant exploration trips throughout the years. Choose from trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants, but come early, since these plants will go quickly!
 
Whether it’s the old, the new, or the steadfast you’re looking for, the Arboretum Plant Sale is sure to have something to pique your interest.  So, mark your calendars to join your friends and other gardeners for a wonderful selection of plants, and the availability of expert advice from Morris Arboretum staff.

Friday May 10 from 10am – 8pm, is Members-only day.  All Morris Arboretum members are invited and will receive a 10% discount on their entire Plant Sale purchase, and receive a free dividend plant. Anyone who joins before, or at the Plant Sale is eligible to receive the member benefits.

Saturday, May 11 from 10am – 4pm is open to the public.
Morris Arboretum members receive a 10% discount on purchases.
 
The Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania is located at 100 East Northwestern Avenue in the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia.  The 92-acre horticulture display garden features a spectacular collection of mature trees in a beautiful and colorful landscape. The Arboretum includes numerous picturesque spots such as a formal rose garden, historic water features, a swan pond, and the only remaining freestanding fernery in North America. A new permanent nationally award winning exhibit, Out on a Limb – a Tree Adventure adds to Morris Arboretum’s allure by transporting visitors 50 feet up into the treetops on a canopy walk that requires no climbing.  The Morris Arboretum’s new Horticulture Center Complex has received Platinum Level LEED® Certification, the highest sustainability rating of the U.S. Green Building Council. For more information, visit www.morrisarboretum.org.

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