This post first appeared at EastsideBusinessJournal.com.
Spring has arrived and it’s time for the Lake Washington Institute of Technology (LWTech) annual Spring Plant Sale. This popular event takes place on April 25 and 26 (Friday and Saturday), and again on May 2 and 3 (Friday and Saturday), from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.
The plant sale is open to the public and held every year by Lake Washington Institute of Technology’s Environmental Horticulture program students. The sale will be held in the west parking lot of LWTech’s Kirkland campus, next to the horticulture greenhouses. Customers are encouraged to bring boxes for their purchases.
Plants are grown from seed or cuttings by LWTech Environmental Horticulture program students. The proceeds go to support educational programs and student scholarships. The event is sponsored by Lake Washington College Foundation and will be staffed entirely by students, faculty and volunteers
This year the greenhouse will be overflowing with beautiful and lush plants perfect for everyone’s house or garden. Highlights include fuchsia baskets bursting with bloom, with more than 15 varieties available. Shoppers can also find a wide assortment of vegetable starts, annual bedding packs, herbs, perennials, and nursery stock.
The LWTech Environmental Horticulture program offers students hands-on experience with wholesale growing and retail careers in the horticulture industry, and the sale is the culmination of all the students’ hard work throughout the year.
In addition, Laura Wildfong, owner of Northwest Nurseries and Lake Washington College Foundation board member, is donating trees, shrubs and perennials to be sold separately to raise funds for the Jim Coleman Scholarship Fund, which gives $1,000 to one Environmental Horticulture program student every quarter.
“Each student is personally responsible for growing four crops, one vegetable or herb, from seed to sale,” said Don Marshall, longtime Lake Washington Institute of Technology instructor. “The results of their efforts can be seen by the quality of the final product sold at our annual sale. I am very proud of our program, especially of the vibrant and sensational plants our students grow.”
Marshall started the Environmental Horticulture program at LWTech, which has been in place for more than 35 years.
Lake Washington is located at 11605 Avenue N.E. in Kirkland. Visitors should enter the college from the east entrance, and proceed to the west parking lot for the sale.