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Plant Sale Will Offer Rare, Hard to Find Specimens

"Boone" Gladiola, courtesy of davesgarden.com

June 18, 2012. A plant sale featuring thousands of trees, shrubs, climbing vines, perennials, annuals, vegetables, and house plants, as well as a large selection of container plantings, will take place on Saturday, June 23, from 7 am to 2 pm, at Aunt Pymm’s Table Antiques, 375 Old 421 South in Boone.

Four of the rarest plants offered will be the fabled “Boone” gladiola, which is hardy to our zone and was collected at an abandoned homesite near Boone; the “Global Warming” chrysanthemum, newly developed to bloom later than other chrysanthemums to give bees and beneficial insects a food source during the warmer, extended fall months which have resulted from global climate changes; the “Peggy Martin” climbing Rose, a thornless and highly fragrant rose that was one of the few plants in New Orleans to survive Katrina; and the very rare ‘Kikyo Sora’ Morning Glory, with whirlpool leaves.

Among the rare perennial garden flowers offered for sale will be Chinese bloodroot (Eomecon chionantha), Canadian mayflower (Maianthemum canadense), dwarf Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum humile “Tom Thumb”), native ferns (ostrich, sensitive, autumn, and royal varieties), several varieties of native geraniums, goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis), “green & gold” (Chrysogonum virginianum), mature Turk’s cap lilies, native yellowroot (Xanthorhiza simplicissima), and black cohosh.

Among trees and shrubs will be native American beech trees, redbud, lilac, blackhaw Viburnums, snowberries, American wild plums, mountain ashes, “Annabelle” Hydrangeas, Southern bush honeysuckle (Diervilla), Hakuro-nishiki “dappled” willows, and others. Some will be available in very limited numbers.

A large selection of named Hosta varieties will be available as well as over 100 named daylily cultivars (not “ditch lilies”). Heirloom sweetpeas, and the famed Monticello hollyhock (grown from seed directly descended from flowers grown by Thomas Jefferson in his kitchen garden at Monticello) will also be available.

During the sale, all the private gardens at Aunt Pymm’s Table will be open for public viewing, and a continental breakfast will be available to visitors and shoppers. The sale will also feature used hard-back gardening books, a large selection of container plantings, and a “repurposed” garden container exhibit and sale (items not originally intended for plants which have been adapted or retrofitted).

Some plant offerings are in very limited quantities, so shoppers are advised to attend the sale early for the best selection. A complete plant list and several fully illustrated articles on various featured plants can be accessed at http://wataugadems.com.  

Gift certificates are available for sale. Contact Pam Williamson (pamwilliamson@boone.net). If you want to volunteer as a worker at the sale, please contact Marsha Walpole (wataugademsvolunteers@gmail.com).

The plant sale is sponsored by the Watauga County Democratic Party. All proceeds go to support the efforts of the party.