The 27th annual Garden Fair and Plant Sale is this Weekend at the Arboretum and Franciscan Monastery Plant & Herb Sale in Brookland this Weekend

Photo courtesy of fonagardener

From an email:

“The 27th annual Garden Fair and Plant Sale, hosted by Friends of the National Arboretum (FONA), has moved to a new central location in the U.S. National Arboretum, which is celebrating its 90th year.

This year’s event, April 28-29, has been relocated and will now be outside the Administration Building and Visitor Center, adjacent to the National Capitol Columns, Azalea Collection and the Grove of State Trees. Attendees will see more of the Arboretum grounds as they shop for traditional and rare plants from nurseries around the world, including new offerings like Gentiana acaulis hybrids, Beesia deltophylla, Phygelius cultivars and eight different types of Cypripedium orchids.

The Garden Fair and Plant Sale is a weekend designed for gardeners of all levels in the D.C. area searching for their perfect plant, herbs from the Potomac Unit of the National Herb Society or horticulture guidance from expert horticulturists. The 2017 Garden Fair and Plant Sale will also feature food and drink vendors, a performance by the Washington Revels, and a strawberry potting activity for children.”

“Buy local, monastery-grown herbs and vegetables, take a tour of the historic Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land gardens and enjoy food and craft vendors at the annual Franciscan Monastery Plant and Herb Sale:

Saturday, April 29, 2017, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Sunday, April 30, 2017, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land
1400 Quincy St. NE, Washington, DC 20017

Sponsored by the all-volunteer Franciscan Monastery Garden Guild and held in the monastery’s century-old gardens, the sale features herbs, flowers, roses, plants and shrubs, many of them grown in the monastery’s greenhouse. The monastery-grown plants include lavender, basil, rosemary, kale, carrots, lettuce and lots more.

The sale benefits the preservation and care of the gardens, which were designed by Franciscan friars over 100 years ago, as well as newer initiatives of the Garden Guild, including its vegetable donation program.

Since 2014, the Garden Guild, in partnership with parishes, universities and other non-profits, has harvested and donated over 13,000 pounds of food grown at the Franciscan Monastery for area residents in need of healthy food.”