OXA is hosting a pop-up plant sale on June 7, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 840 Old Vernon Road, Kelowna. Many drought-tolerant plants are available, now with a 10% discount. Members who attend can enter a draw for a $35 gift certificate. Even new or renewing members can join.
Free gardening gloves will also be given out, thanks to the Okanagan Basin Water Board’s Make Water Work program. By pledging to conserve water at www.makewaterwork.web, you can enter to win one of two $500 prizes. Wild Bloom Nursery plants will be for sale, and master gardeners will be on hand to answer your questions.
Visit okanaganxeriscape.org for a full list of available plants.
Some of these plants have won the prestigious Perennial Plant Association’s Plant of the Year award. This award highlights plants that perform well, resist pests, and look good all year.
Three award-winning plants stand out: Calamagrostis “Karl Foerster,” Stachys “Hummelo,” and Rudbeckia fulgida “Goldsturm.” Each plant offers beauty and practical benefits for your garden.
Calamagrostis “Karl Foerster” is a tall feather reed grass named 2001’s Plant of the Year. It grows in tight, upright clumps and rarely spreads uncontrollably. It thrives in full sun or partial shade and tolerates drought and flooding. It looks great all year, with green shoots in spring and golden plumes in summer that last through winter. Birds use it for food and shelter, making it wildlife-friendly.
Stachys officinalis “Hummelo”, the 2019 winner, is a compact ground cover with violet-purple flowers blooming from early summer to fall. It stays where it’s planted and does not spread aggressively like its cousin, Lamb’s Ear. It handles sun, shade, heat, and humidity well. Its drought tolerance makes it ideal for water-wise gardens. Pollinators like bees and butterflies love its flowers.
Rudbeckia fulgida “Goldsturm”, known as coneflower, won in 1999 for its reliability. It produces bright yellow flowers with dark centers from midsummer to fall. Unlike some varieties, it stays in place and doesn’t spread too much. It grows well in many soil types and is drought-tolerant. Birds, including goldfinches, feed on its seeds, and its seed heads add winter interest.
These three plants show why the Plant of the Year award matters. They solve common garden problems, attract wildlife, and need little care. Whether starting a new garden or refreshing an old one, these award winners are safe, beautiful choices.
