By Elaine Scott
For the 18th year the Mill Bay Plantaholics are having a plant sale in Mill Bay to support a variety of charities.
Barb Kohlman, Sharon Martin, Noreen Carver and Elaine Scott have been very busy potting up plants for the sale on Saturday, May 4, and past members have also contributed from their gardens. The result is more than 1,000 plants that are ready for a new home.
All of the profit raised from the sale will be donated to the Cowichan Women Against Violence Society in Duncan.
This annual plant sale has become well known to local gardeners as a source of healthy, interesting plants at a reasonable price. A wide array of plants will be available including drought tolerant varieties and plants that are great for a pollenating garden. Don’t forget to include in your garden later flowering plants that are useful to provide food for the bees later in the season. It is important to try to conserve as much water as possible but also to feed the pollenating creatures as local crops are so dependent on them.
Behind the scenes many others have helped on such tasks as preparing the plant list, making up the orders, organizing the whole process and handling the proceeds and organizers say the sale couldn’t happen without their help.
Proceeds will go to Somenos House, a program of the Cowichan Women Against Violence Society that provides short term shelter and support when women (with or without children) need safety from violence and abuse. Providing a safe, supportive and quiet environment is an extremely important program of a caring community. The Society also provides a wide array of additional services. Information on Somenos House and the Society in general can be found at www.cwav.org.
Since the group had to change tactics and go online due to COVID, their customer list has grown to the point where they are unable to provide an on-site sale. This year’s sale will be similar to last year with some modifications. If you were a customer last year you should have already received an email providing details of the sale. If not, you may want to contact Elaine Scott at TheScottRogers@aol.com to have your name put on the customer list. Those on the list will get an email of all items for sale on April 20. Orders will be made by email and will be handled in the order they are received. You then will receive an email confirming your order and indicating the total cost.
Pick up will be on Saturday, May 4 at 2836 Oceanside Lane, Mill Bay. Confirmation of your order will include pick-up time and directions.
Consider supporting this very worthy local cause while at the same time obtaining healthy plants at a reasonable cost.
Elaine Scott is a member of the Mill Bay Plantaholics.