Although total plant numbers were down by approximately 6,000 plants from last year, sales were better than expected given current economic conditions. A total of 32,610 plants were sold to 450 pre-sale customers and at least 30 additional customers who came to Saturday’s walk-up sale. The staggered schedule for Friday’s pick-up once again made the flow of customers nice and steady and avoided a madhouse right when the doors opened. Woodbrook Nursery was present again this year on the pick-up days to sell a variety of potted native trees, shrubs, and emergent plants.

As always, the sale wouldn’t be possible without a wonderful group of volunteers, some of whom helped for multiple shifts. Their time totaled 171 hours! Thank you to: Sam Nohra, Joyce and Dennis Anderson, Tom Ginsburg, Jim Anderson, Glenn Bearson, Valerie Nosky-Webb, Ginny Fitch, Barb Bourscheidt, Tom Britayak, Bill Brookerson, Chris Goodman, Sharon Fagg, Sylvette Gunderson, Kristen Nieto, Greg and Logan Harris, Hermina Soler, Helga Vanders, Ann Hirsch, Laura Kingsbury, Zura Wilson, Alice Kohls, Terrance Corak, Nan Leiter, Norm Dion, Sue Leland, John Morum, Annette Masella, Troy and Blake Moebius, Lyn Gordon, David and Molly Patterson, Ron Huhn, Yvonne Powers, Pam Reising, Dale Thompson, and Mike Viafore. And a special thank you goes out to the plant sale’s “Above and Beyond” volunteer Keith Chadd. Keith not only helped unload the plants when they came in, but was also here four full days helping to bundle plant orders, organize the orders for pick-up, and assist with walk-up sales. Thank you, Keith!

With several pick-up reminders mailed and emailed to pre-order customers, there were only four orders not picked up this year. Those plants, along with a few remaining plants not sold at the walk-up sale, were donated to the WSU Master Gardener Foundation who will put them in pots and sell them at their annual plant sale. Metro Parks Tacoma and Edgewood Friends of the Park also received some of the plants as did Boy Scout Troop #835 who will use them on restoration projects.

We hope your plants are doing well and beginning to put on new growth. Please call us if you have any questions. We look forward to seeing you at the sale next year. Look for the 2010 pre-order form in the fall edition of the Tahoma View.