Wanna save your succulents? Put this on you calendar now!

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PHOENIX (Desert Botanical Garden) - Spring is in the air, which means it’s time to do some planting. Especially if the winter frost did a number on your garden. It happens. Whether you need to do a little repair work on your garden or are looking to add something new, The Desert Botanical Garden has you covered with its Spring Plant Sale coming up on March 16-19. Make reservations online now!

The Garden hosts two sales every year - one in the spring, the other in the fall – and they are huge. You’ll find a highly curated collection of tens of thousands of plants that will thrive here in Arizona. The semiannual sales are the best place to find something unusual or uncommon to add to your garden or home.

“It’s not run-of-the-mill stuff. It’s a really nice mix of plants,” said Kenny Zelov, the assistant director for plant sales and production at Desert Botanical Garden. “Having these things together in one spot is unique.”

The Plant Sale has made a name for itself as a one-stop shop for your Arizona garden.

Bring spring inside

The Garden introduced a houseplant section at the Fall Plant Sale in October, and people loved it so much they’re doing it again for this one. Zelov said the Plant Sale team learned quite a bit about what people want inside their homes. The team ran with it and put together an exciting selection to help you bring the outdoors in.

Another thing introduced at the last sale is coming back by popular demand - the Garden Signature plants. These are unique Garden-grown plants from Desert Botanical Garden seeds and cuttings. They were a hit at the Fall Sale.

“These are actually plants that you can trace back to Garden plants,” Zelov explained when he first told us about the endeavor. “It might be a cactus, or it might be an aloe, or maybe something that we’ve propagated from Garden material. These are unique. It’s kind of like owning a little piece of the Garden.”

Look for the orange signs and Garden Signature labels.

You can expect to see more Garden Signature plants in the years to come. It takes time to grow the sources for the cuttings and seeds, so, like any garden, it’s an ongoing labor of love.

Get your hands dirty at new pop-up classes

Cactus and succulents comprise a large part of the Plant Sale’s stock and the Garden’s own collection. This is Arizona, after all. People love succulents, but they can be intimidating if you don’t know how to care for them.

“Succulents have such interesting shapes and textures. They have great visual appeal,” said Andrew Cipriano, the Senior Director of Education at the Garden. “But so many people can’t get over that one succulent plant they killed, and they are afraid to try again. Or, they think it is very difficult to keep them alive!”

That’s why the Garden is offering a series of pop-up classes during the Spring Plant Sale. These classes are meant for the novice gardener, but there’s also the opportunity for those who are a little more advanced to ask questions and get advice.

Succulents are often touted as the perfect plants for gardening beginners because they’re impossible to kill. Many a novice has discovered that that’s not exactly true, and they learned it the hard way. RIP, poor succulents. If you’ve killed a succulent or two in your time and gotten discouraged by what you might believe is your “black thumb,” the Succulent Success class definitely is for you.

“We are here to show you that it’s not that hard to keep your plants thriving if you know what to do,” Cipriano said.

Succulents are low-maintenance houseplants, but the conditions have to be just right. From the soil in the pot to water needs (Don’t drown them!) to ongoing care, you’ll learn how to make sure your succulents thrive.

“We have people who work in the Garden every day with these plants and have the expertise on how to grow them and where to grow them,” Zelov said. “You’re going to get the right information.”

There’s a schedule for the Succulent Success classes on DBG.org. You can register online ahead of time (Do it when you make your reservations for the sale!) or simply walk up to the container gardening area when you’re there. There is a $25 fee ($20 for Garden members) for the Succulent Success class, but you can take the 4-inch succulent you pot home with you. Also, bring gardening gloves if you have them.

Humble beginnings: Unusual Plant Sale of Unusual Plants

The Garden’s popular semiannual event was a hit from the get-go almost 50 years ago.

The Unusual Plant Sale of Unusual Plants in 1976 was the Garden’s first plant sale, and it took more than a year to make it happen. The idea was to let people buy unusual plants that could thrive in an Arizona garden. Organizers focused on cacti, succulents, trees, shrubs, and other desert plants that were hard to find. Some might have been available by special order through a top-grade nursery, but others were not for sale anywhere in the entire state.

“I’ve seen some photos from it, where the plants were grown in coffee cans,” said Kenny Zelov, the assistant director for plant sales and production.

The modest event started with a member’s day on a Friday. When it opened to the public the next morning, there was a line of people. The Unusual Plant Sale of Unusual Plants was a hit and has continued to flourish over the decades.

“We’ve come a long way,” Zelov said. “It’s become a massive, massive sale.” He has had a front-row seat to the spectacular evolution of the popular event for years.

The Unusual Plant Sale of Unusual Plants was small compared to today’s twice-yearly sales, which take months of prep work and feature more than 30,000 plants. The goal, however, is the same.

Your dream Arizona landscape: Everything you could want in one place

The Garden’s expert staff and knowledgeable volunteers will be there all weekend to answer your questions and help you make buying decisions.

In addition to the expert advice available for the asking, each plant has an information sign next to it. Zelov says it’s a good idea to snap a picture of that for each plant you buy so that you have its watering and exposure needs.

Not sure how to get the look you want for your landscape?

Thanks to Desert Landscape School, the Garden has you covered with complimentary videos and resources. At DesertLandscapeSchool.org, you’ll find Garden Growing Guides to help you learn how to care for your new plants and determine the best time to plant. The site also has how-to videos and micro-courses. The Desert Landscape School’s featured courses let you mine the knowledge of the Garden’s horticulture experts at your convenience and at your pace. The micro-classes are free to everyone, but you will need to create an account.

Desert Landscape School also has in-depth courses and a certificate program. Prices vary depending on the course; Garden membership gives you a discount.

Come prepared

Zelov suggests you do a little planning ahead of the Plant Sale. It’s best if you have an idea of where you’re going to plant your purchases. What kind of exposure does it have? Half sun? Full sun? Morning sun? Afternoon sun?

“I always start with that,” Zelov said. “These things are really important to know so that [you’re] making a good choice. Take advantage of our knowledge.”

Snap a few pictures of your yard to show the horticulturists and volunteers what you’re working with. That will help them help you.

Also, if you have questions about a specific plant you have or want to find, a photo is better than any description you could give.

On the practical front, slather on some sunscreen and consider wearing a hat. Bring a bottle of water, too.

Getting there: What you need to know about reservations and parking

The most important thing you need to know is entry to the Plant Sale is timed in half-hour increments. Admission is free, but reservations are required. There are more than 6,000 slots over the four days. The first day – Thursday, March 16 – is just for members. They also receive a 10% discount on their purchases. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are open to everyone.

The timed admission is set up to manage the crowd. It gives shoppers a bit of breathing room and allows the staff and volunteers to spend quality time connecting with people.

“We’ve found that all of our days tend to fill up,” Zelov said.

The bottom line is you should make your reservation sooner rather than later.

Parking is limited at the Garden, and during the Spring Plant Sale, the lot will fill up quickly. You might want to consider carpooling with phytophile friends or making a day of it with your gardening group. Valley Metro also is an option. You’ll want Route 56. If neither one of those will work for you, Desert Botanical Garden has made special arrangements with Lyft. Use the code DBG to save 10% on your ride.

An Arizona tradition

The Desert Botanical Garden’s Spring and Fall Plant Sales are an Arizona tradition like no other, and repeat visitors are common.

“People have been coming year after year after year,” Zelov said.

If you’re one of them, enjoy what’s new and fresh for spring 2023. And if you’re not, it’s time to make a reservation and check it out.

Desert Botanical Garden | 1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix