FAQ

What is the purpose of the Idaho Botanical Garden’s plant sale?

 

Our annual plant sale has multiple purposes:

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🌱 First, it is a fundraiser for our Horticulture program. Proceeds from the plant sale help to pay the salaries of the dedicated horticulture staff who maintain the gardens, grow the plants, and provide educational resources for IBG visitors. Funds raised also help to purchase materials and equipment for IBG’s horticulture program.

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🌱 Second, our plant sale is a special event to reward IBG members. Members receive early access to our online store and “first pick” of plants.

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🌱 Third, the IBG plant sale is the horticulture staff’s opportunity to highlight a carefully curated selection of plants not widely available or used in the Boise area. We take very seriously our horticulture mission to educate the public regarding plants that are regionally appropriate for our growing conditions.

 

Are all the plants for sale grown by the Idaho Botanical Garden?

While many of the plants are grown here at the Idaho Botanical Garden, we simply do not have the facilities available to do the large-scale propagation necessary for our plant sale. Our team begins selecting plants for the sale nearly a year in advance, including plans for propagating in our greenhouse and choosing quality sources for plants not grown on site.

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What does “Grown in the Garden” mean?

Many plants are grown right here at the Idaho Botanical Garden. From selection, to seeding, to potting up and finishing, every aspect of the plant’s life is attended to by our staff. These plants hold a special place for our Horticulture team and many are not usually found at your local garden center. Our “Grown in the Garden” plants are often the same plants you will find blooming throughout the Garden.

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Where can I find more information about caring for the plants I bought?

Basic information about each plant is listed on the online store. For planting and care tips, we recommend reaching out to the University of Idaho Extension Master Gardeners. Learn more at: https://www.uidaho.edu/extension/county/ada/horticulture

Is this a “fire sale” where you are trying to get rid of overstock and unwanted plants? The prices should be really cheap then!

IBG’s annual plant sale is definitely not a fire sale! We begin planning each year’s sale months in advance. Plants for sale are either grown or purchased specifically for the sale in order to showcase little-known, unusual, or harder-to-find plants

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Aren’t you competing with local nurseries?

Our once-a-year plant sale is a fundraiser for the IBG and a much-anticipated event for our members. The focus is on plants that our Horticulture staff is excited about and wants to share. And, since one of the Idaho Botanical Garden’s primary horticultural missions is to educate the public about the plants that perform best in the Intermountain West, a majority of our perennials are drought-tolerant.

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But I want to buy my favorite tomato variety from you!

We strive to feature plants that are not readily available locally. For this reason, you may not find your favorite, tried-and-true variety of tomato or pepper. Those are typically available at your local nursery or home improvement store. Instead, we hope to introduce you to varieties you may not have heard of and encourage you to try something different in your home garden!

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You ran out of something that I really wanted.

Unfortunately, we have limited space and limited quantities, and we are very frank about that. While we make every effort to have available all the plants we say we’re going to have, Mother Nature does not always cooperate.

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Are the plants for sale organic?

No, they are not. While some of our individual growers may use organic practices, and we here at IBG use only the minimal amount of pesticides on our plants (insecticidal soap and pyrethrums), we do not claim that any of our plants are organically grown.

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Are any of the plants grown from GMO seed?

No, GMO seed is not available for purchase beyond commercial agriculture uses, usually corn, soybeans, alfalfa, canola, cotton, and sugar beets. There is research on a genetically modified petunia, but it is not commercially available. NONE of the seeds for sale in local nurseries, grocery stores, home improvement stores, or through seed catalogs are genetically modified; they simply are not available to the general public.