Once a year, in the middle of June, Clearwater Native Plant Nursery opens its gates to the public. This contract grow nursery provides native plants for restoration and landscaping projects. Plants sold here grow well in upland, riparian, and wetland habitats. The nursery is located in Redmond, Oregon.

Clearwater Native Plant Nursery provided plants to the Deschutes Land Trust for the restoration of Whychus Creek, 15 miles to the northwest. The plantings provided wildlife habitat and helped stabilize the soil near the creek.

Clearwater Native Plant Nursery Annual Sale

I had never been to their annual sale before. This nursery is not open to the public the rest of the year.

We arrived soon after opening and there were already a lot of people there. Plants ranged in price from $3 for a 4-inch pot, to $27 for a 5-gallon pot.

Plants for sale are laid out in neat rows.

Read more: Clearwater Native Plant Nursery Sale: FF

Walking through them is like being a kid in a candy store.

You can find the plant labels at the end of the rows.

I purchased eight plants including the rosy pussytoes and showy penstemon pictured below. They are great wildflowers to include in my low water usage landscaping.

Some of the plants for sale had already bloomed. Gardeners need to use their imagination to think of what these plants will look like in the future.

I remember seeing prairie smoke plants at Slough Creek in Yellowstone National Park and wanted one ever since. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the plant I purchased at the sale will fill out and look like the ones in Yellowstone.

A few tips if you plan on attending this sale…

• A list of plants this nursery sells is on their website to view ahead of time.
• Parking is limited but people don’t stay long so be patient.
• Helpful volunteers are available to answer your questions.
• Bring your own boxes and/or wheeled carriers. They are not provided.
• Take a picture of the plant label at the end of the row. Individual plants don’t always have labels.
• Bring cash! They do not accept credit or other forms of payment.

Friday Flowers (FF)