Annual Annandale greenhouse sale opens Thursday, May 8th

Angela Daley (left) and Brian Skyloes are looking forward to the annual Annandale plant sale, beginning Thursday, May 8th inside the school greenhouse. (Jeff Tribe Photo)

Jeff Tribe, Post Correspondent

An Annandale School greenhouse program which has been planting the seeds of horticultural experience, environmental awareness and community engagement for 50 years is gearing up for its annual plant sale.

“These kids are extremely fortunate to have this opportunity,” said Annandale educator Angela Daley whose appreciation for its experiential learning has grown across the past 23 of those years.

Greenhouse operation continued through Annandale’s transition from a high school through its Grade 7-8-9 period and onward to its current K-8 elementary profile. It has impacted thousands of students over the years says Daley, particularly important for some who may struggle with more theoretical classroom work, but flourish in its practical, hands-on environment. The greenhouse segment provides real-world experience tied into an educational unit on water and the environment.

“We weave it into that.”

The growing season begins in January of each year, seeds and plugs planted, watered and carefully nurtured toward sale date.

“The kids do it all,” said Daley, noting the soil can be chilly in the first month or so, working with it hard on the students’ hands. “But they’re troopers.”

During the earlier stages, plants are housed in a ‘mini-greenhouse’ and given extra heat, before spreading out through the structure as the season advances.

The 2025 sale opens Thursday, May 8th from 3:45-7 p.m., running Friday, May 9th from 3:45-5 p.m. and that Saturday (May 10) from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. It continues through the following week (May 12-16th) from 3:45-5:30 p.m. daily, assuming plant availability. Students take responsibility for assisting community customers through the selection and sales process, adding layers of educational opportunity.

“The kids look forward to it,” said Daley, noting the sale can be a family affair, students proudly showing off their efforts to parents, some of whom have their own Annandale greenhouse background. “They were here in Grade 8 and they’re talking to their kids about it.”

This year’s selection features Roma, beefsteak and cherry tomatoes, bell and jalapeño peppers, a selection of herbs (basil, thyme, oregano and rosemary), and a wide variety of flowering plants including impatiens, petunias, zinnias, flowering kale, marigolds, geraniums, dwarf sunflowers and alyssum, a list driven by consumer preference. There are also a limited number of flowering baskets which tend to move quickly.

“Over the years, these are the ones people have consistently purchased,” said Daley.

The community embraces the annual tradition, typically lining up a half-hour in advance on opening night. In the past, the greenhouse has connected with forestry programs by growing oak seedlings from acorns and also provided milkweed plants free to community members seeking to support struggling Monarch butterfly populations.

“It’s just one more thing to encourage the kids to think how we’re connected to the environment,” Daley concluded, hoping the long-standing tradition continues.

“The kids having this experience and the community benefitting from it.”