The Plant-O-Rama Plant Sale is coming to Sherman Library & Gardens!
The retro event, which began in 1972, will take place Saturday and Sunday, July 20 and 21, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day at Sherman Gardens. The sale will feature plants and plant experts from the California Native Plant Society, Los Angeles International Fern Society, Newport Harbor Orchid Society, Orange County Begonia Society, Saddleback Valley Bromeliad Society and the Southern California Carnivorous Plant Fanciers Association.
Former Garden Director Wade Roberts started the event in 1972 as a fundraiser for the Sherman Foundation. At the time, former horticulture manager John Bishop was managing the nursery at the Sherman Foundation Experimental Center in Dana Point. “People always asked if we had plants for sale from the garden. It seemed like the right thing to do, and we had the equipment to grow the plants,” Bishop recalls. “It was a very popular event. People would arrive early and wait in the parking lot for the garden to open.” Plant-O-Rama featured plants from local botanical societies, as well as unique ornamental plants, tropical plants, hanging baskets and succulents.
Sherman Library and Gardens' Plant-O-Rama plant sale in the 1970s. Photo courtesy of Sherman Library and Gardens.
Fast forward to 2024. “The plant boom is alive and well, so we've partnered with local botanical societies to bring a fantastic selection of unique plants to visitors to Sherman,” says Scott LaFleur, executive director of Sherman Library & Gardens. “Following the example of our first Plant-O-Rama patrons, come early to get the best selection.”
This special event supports the Sherman Library and Gardens and the local Botanical Society and is free with garden admission. Garden admission is only $5 and is always free for members.
The Sherman Library and Gardens is located at 2647 E. Coast Hwy. in Corona del Mar. For more information, visit www.thesherman.org or call (949) 673-2261.
