Saturday, April 5, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., UT Gardens will host its annual Spectacular Spring Sale. The event will boast a variety of local and exotic plants including flowers, ornamental trees and shrubs, vegetables, herbs and fruiting plants, houseplants and perennials.
The day before, a presale will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. for UT Gardens membership holders, university staff and volunteers. Anyone can show up and buy membership on-site for $35, students for $15, and receive early access to the selection, as well as 10% off prices.
James Newburn, the managing director of UT Gardens, said this event is the perfect outlet for those looking to get out and experience the season. With such a wide selection, he said there’s something for everyone to find.
“With the spring, of course, people catch spring fever, and they are ready to get outside,” Newburn said. “Our selection here is bigger than the fall sale, and we sometimes bring in local growers to supplement our selection, too.”
Newburn said the gardens try not to step on the toes of local growers, so they collaborate whenever possible. This year, they’ve partnered with Curzon Botanicals, a specialist in carnivorous plants like venus flytraps and sundews.
Holly Jones, a horticulturalist and social media manager at UT Gardens, said their staff is always looking to expand their repertoire, looking at exotic plants that would not hurt the business of local growers, and that’s part of what makes the selection so expansive.
“We have a unique selection at UT Gardens that you will not find anywhere else in Knoxville,” Jones said. “We pride ourselves on coming up with lesser-known varieties.”
Each year, one plant is spotlighted at the event, and the clematis perennial has been chosen for this iteration. Newburn said the plant is perfect for gardening newcomers because of its vitality and its inherently large, leafy vines and crystalline flowers.
For the newcomers to gardening, guidance can be found everywhere at the event, as it’s staffed by experienced growers and, for the first time, will have what Newburn called a “master gardener’s booth.” He said it speaks to one of the core purposes of the gardens as a mentoring institute.
“We are a public garden, open 365 days a year, and many of our visitors are here precisely to look at what plants you can grow in this region,” Newburn said. “It becomes really important to us to offer encouragement to new gardeners.”
Newburn said there are also plenty of plants that are more difficult to grow or have higher ceilings for upkeep, so experienced gardeners can find something too.
This event is also important to the UT Gardens for the money it raises. Jones said that 60% of the annual revenue the organization receives comes from events like this.
Newburn said money goes towards hiring students for internships, buying supplies, managing infrastructure and so much more. Without it, they wouldn’t be operational, and he said that everyone who enjoys its services should give the sale a chance.
“Mulch doesn’t come cheap,” Newburn said. “I like to encourage people who enjoy the garden and use it as a respite for relaxation to support us by coming to our plant sales.”
The Saturday event will be hosted at the entrance of the gardens on Friendship Plaza. Any additional information can be found on the UT Gardens website.
