Olbrich Home Bolz Conservatory

plant salePlant Sale with the Pros

Friday, May 11

11 am - 6 pm

Saturday, May 12

9 am - 3 pm

Get great plants and expert advice from area professionals this year at Olbrich’s Plant Sale with the Pros. The sale features everything from annuals and perennials to ornamental grasses and shrubs. Olbrich’s staff carefully chooses unique plants that do best in this climate. Find the newest, hardiest, disease-resistant cultivars on the market. Local plant pros, master gardeners, and Olbrich’s horticulturists will be available to answer questions.


Proceeds from the plant sale benefit Olbrich Botanical Gardens. Shop early since quantities are limited. Shoppers are encouraged to bring cartons, wagons, or boxes for carrying plants. Cash, checks, MasterCard, Visa, and Discover are accepted. Maximize your support of the Gardens by using cash or check.

 

Pro Potting Bench & Inspiration Station

Pro Potting BenchPro Potting Bench

Take advantage of free container design and pottingservices at the Plant Pro Potting Bench. Get help selecting the best plants for a stunning container garden or hanging basket...then let a professional plant them for you! Bring your own containers or purchase one at the sale, including colorful glazed terra cotta containers.

Inspiration Station

Refresh a lack-luster or problem garden area at the Inspiration Station. Local landscape architects will sketch out a basic garden plan to get your garden started, inspire you to refresh a garden area, or help you solve a problem on the spot using your photos and feedback. Be sure to note the features of areas in your landscape, for example, how much water is received, lighting conditions, existing plantings, etc.

 

Plants

Olbrich's Plant Sale with the Pros features everything from annuals and perennials to ornamental grasses and shrubs. Choose cultivars on the market including tropical plants that will fire up your garden, small-scale garden conifers, herbs, and butterfly plants along with hundreds of annuals and perennials. Find rare shrubs and trees, including hardy shrub roses that thrive in the challenging Wisconsin climate.

A selection of plants from the American Beauties and Jeepers Creepers collections will also be offered at Olbrich's Plant Sale with the Pros. Come to the sale and find great plants from these collections!

Did you know that Olbrich horticulturists specifically select plants that are proven to perform well in this area? Learn how these plants are chosen, and where they come from in a newsletter article from Olbrich's Garden News.

2011 Plant Lists for Olbrich's Plant Sale with the Pros

All lists are in PDF format

Annuals Conifers Ferns
Grasses Herbs Perennials
Shrubs Trees Vines

*Note - This list is from 2011. A list of plants available at the 2012 sale will be available in the spring. This list is not all-inclusive. Plant availability may change without notice due to supplier availability.*

 

Pros

Olbrich's Plant Sale with the Pros is your chance to get personal advice on choosing the right plants for your garden from local garden experts and Olbrich horticulturists who can share their know-how on roses, herbs, perennials, trees, container gardens, and more. Also, shoppers are encouraged to bring a photo of their garden and get landscape design advice from area landscape architects. Here's what the pros themselves think about Olbrich's Plant Sale with the Pros:

 

"This event is a great opportunity for gardening enthusiasts to share in the wealth of knowledge from all of the Olbrich horticulturists and staff. They order what they use and like, so we all benefit!”

Pat Saiki, ASLA

Ken Saiki Design

“The Olbrich Plant Sale is very unique, mainly due to the plants sold there - many are hard, if not impossible, to find at any local source. Also, you have an amazing group of seasoned veterans available to answer any plant, horticulture, or landscape question a person may have. It’s just a very enjoyable couple of days for people to experience Olbrich Botanical Gardens.”

Paul Ganshert

Ganshert Nursery and Landscapes

“As UW Emeritus Professor of Horticulture with a specialization in landscape plants, I have volunteered at the Olbrich plant sale each year since my retirement in 1994. Olbrich horticulturists select the newest and best hardy cultivars of trees, shrubs, and vines to offer at this sale. Our role as volunteer plant experts is to assist customers in selecting the right plant for their particular planting situation. I’ve had the opportunity to assist many satisfied repeat customers over the years!”

Ed Hasselkus

UW Emeritus Professor of Horticulture

“I can recommend shopping at Olbrich’s annual plant sale with a single plant name, Acer tschonoskii. I’ve had this lovely, small-scale ornamental maple for more than 10 years and it graces my front garden where everyone can see it as a specimen tree. Olbrich does an admirable job of finding rare and unusual plants like this and I have placed a variety of them in my garden over the years!”

Ed Lyon, Director

Allen Centennial Gardens

UPCOMING Events

Winter Concerts
Cocktails in the Conservatory

Children of the Rainforest: Samba 1 Brazilian Dance Group

Children of the Rainforest: Hale O Malo Polynesian Dance Group

Indulgence, Wine & Chocolate Tasting

Bolz Conservatory Exhibit: Treasures of the Rainforest

Olbrich Botanical Gardens is operated as a public-private partnership between the City of Madison Parks Division and the Olbrich Botanical Society.
Olbrich Botanical Gardens | 3330 Atwood Avenue, Madison, WI 53704. | Phone: (608)246-4550 | Fax: (608)246-4719