There are many plant sales around the Twin Cities each year, but for me, the plant sale is the Friends School Plant Sale.

It’s held on the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of Mother’s Day weekend every year at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. I was introduced to the sale in 2009 by a coworker who volunteers every year, and I now know several more volunteers. In my neighborhood, several people shop at this sale every year.

The sale is so big that it takes place both inside the grandstand…

and outside the grandstand. Mornings are a very busy time, when wristbands are needed to control entry so it’s not too crowded, but afternoons and evenings have been manageable when we’ve gone.

Today we headed straight for the native plants section.

So this is what cardinal flower looks like. Definitely not what’s growing in our front yard.

Darn, the bluebells were sold out (to be restocked on Saturday).

One of our choices:

Our other purchases:

• poke milkweed
• hello yellow milkweed (have to admit I’ve never heard of this one)
• whorled milkweed
• showy milkweed
• meadow blazing star
• dotted blazing star
• cream wild indigo
• broccoli
• several heirloom tomatoes

Now, how long will it take us to get these planted?