The Horticulture Department at Lake Washington Technical College opens its greenhouse to the public for the annual spring plant sale, set for Friday and Saturday, April 23-24; and continuing Friday and Saturday April 30 through May 1. Doors open at 9 a.m. through 3 p.m. on all days.

Plant shoppers will find the greenhouse and nursery overflowing with beautiful and well tended plants for their garden. Some examples include full fuchsia baskets bursting with bloom, more than 15 varieties of hardy fuchsias, vegetable starts, annual bedding packs, herbs, perennials, and nursery stock. Customers are encouraged to bring their own boxes for their purchases.

All of the plants for the sale are grown from seed or cuttings by the environmental horticulture students. This opportunity allows the students a glimpse inside wholesale growing and plant retail careers with hands-on experiences in plant propagation, care, marketing, and sales.

To raise funds for the Jim Coleman scholarship fund, Laura Wildfong, owner of Northwest Nurseries, donates trees, shrubs and perennials at a separate sale in the parking lot. Every quarter, one environmental horticulture student is the recipient of the $1,000 Jim Coleman scholarship.

Many program alumni return to assist the students at the plant sale, creating a community atmosphere.

“This is a true community event, where gardeners, students, and alumni come together to support environmental horticulture education,” says instructor Don Marshall, who founded the program at Lake Washington Technical College over 30 years ago.

Lake Washington Technical College is located at 11605 Avenue N.E. in Kirkland. Visitors should enter the college from the east entrance and proceed to the west parking lot for the sale.