Fiery red, pastel purple and soft pinks — these are just some of the hues that can be seen at this weekend’s Rhodo Show and Plant Sale in Parksville.
It’s the Mount Arrowsmith Rhododendron Society’s (MARS) 24th annual event, to be held at the Parksville Curling Club from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 26.
“There will be a wide range of plants in bloom,” said society spokesperson Marilyn Dawson, “not just Rhodos.”
Dawson said the whole curling club is transformed into a charming conglomeration of blooms including some shrubs and ferns.
Milner Gardens and Woodland will be having its own Spring Plant Sale the same day (as well as Sunday), which is deliberate, said Dawson, as both places refer clients for certain plants.
People can bring in their own Rhododenrons to be judged at the MARS event on Saturday, as long at they are at the Curling Club before 8:30 a.m.
Three judges from Nanaimo will start examining the blooms at 9 a.m. One of the categories, Popular Choice, gives shoppers a chance to vote for their favourite bloom.
Proceeds from the sale and MARS’ upcoming Mother’s Day Weekend Garden Tour go toward horticulture ventures in the area. Past ventures have included putting Rhododendron bushes at the Rotary Park and along Memorial Drive in Qualicum Beach. Currently, the society is collecting funds for a project it is spearheading involving Milner Gardens.
Admission is free to the Rhodo Show and Plant Sale this Saturday. For more information, call 250-752-3694.
