Submitted by San Juan County
Do you dream of creating wildflower habitat in your backyard? Are you looking for sustainable landscaping to support pollinators and other wildlife? If so, you’ll want to check out the Salish Seeds Project’s annual Fall Native Wildflower Sale. Buyers can reserve plants online Sept. 15 – 20 and pick them up on Saturday, Oct. 5 at locations on San Juan, Orcas, and Lopez islands. Plants are produced locally by the Salish Seeds Project – a joint program of the San Juan County Conservation Land Bank and the San Juan Preservation Trust.
Nodding onion, Douglas aster, western columbine, and four types of native grasses are among the 25 species available in four-inch pots, primarily fully biodegradable “cow pots” to reduce plastic waste. Sea blush seeds and a special wildflower meadow seed mix are back by popular demand. A new offering – Pollinator Garden Kits – provides an economical way to create a 100 square foot native flower garden with pre-selected plants, seeds, and instructions.
An advance guide to the sale is available now on the Salish Seeds Project webpage (accessed through the Land Bank’s website at www.sjclandbank.org). When the sale opens online at 9am on Sunday, September 15, look for the WILDFLOWER SALE tab in the website’s menu bar.
Are you looking for general guidance on gardening with native plants? Be sure to check out “Growing Native Wildflowers in the San Juan Islands”, a brand new, illustrated step-by-step guide. A downloadable PDF version is available on the Salish Seeds Project webpage, or printed copies can be picked up for free at the Land Bank’s Friday Harbor office or during the October 5 plant pick up day.
The price per plant offsets the cost of production, allowing the Land Bank to provide this community service. Quantities are limited so shop early to avoid disappointment.
Contact: Tanja Williamson Outreach/Volunteer Coordinator, tanjaw@sjclandbank.org, 360-370-7655
About San Juan County’s Conservation Land Bank
San Juan County’s Conservation Land Bank, funded by a 1% real estate excise tax paid by purchasers of property at closing, acquires and preserves areas in the county that have environmental, agricultural, aesthetic, cultural, scientific, historic, scenic, or low-intensity recreational value. The Land Bank offices are located at 328 Caines Street, Friday Harbor, WA 98250. For more information about San Juan County’s Conservation Land Bank, visit www.sjclandbank.org.
