It’s been an Edmonds tradition for decades that draws in-the-know gardeners for a one-day chance to snag the best deals of the year on plants, garden décor, tools and more.

Did we say one-day?  More like one-hour, with door-buster shoppers snapping up many of the best items within the first few minutes.

This year folks began lining up at 7:30 a.m. in the Edmonds United Methodist Church parking lot to get first dibs on the selection. By the time the gates opened at 9 a.m. the line of more than 160 eager shoppers wrapped around the church, many prepared with wagons, lists of most-wanted items and a game plan to be first to grab their top choices.

When the whistle blew it was a mad dash as shoppers literally ran in, filling their wagons, baskets, boxes and bags with everything from acanthus to zinnias, hori-horis to hoses, lawn furniture to garden art. By 10 a.m. the first wave had grabbed much of inventory and lines began forming at the checkout tables as shoppers prepared to take their treasures home.

“My husband and I spotted this coral bark maple while standing in line,” said Margery Ziff of Edmonds. “I ran straight for it when we got in and luckily it was still there. Crazy good prices – this would have cost three or four times as much in a nursery.”

Items are traditionally donated by Floretum club members who spend months prior to the sale thinning their own gardens, potting up hundreds of plants, and putting aside surplus garden furniture, tools, and décor to stock the event’s boutique section.  The club sets prices low – garage-sale style – and all proceeds go to supporting club activities including the scholarship and grant programs.

“While it’s impossible to give an exact number, this year we had more than 900 plants for sale,” said Floretum Club President Diane Buckshnis. “And this doesn’t include the non-living items in the boutique section, which this year was bigger than ever.

“This year we’re hoping to raise enough to up our scholarship and grant programs,” she added, noting that the club is looking to put $5,000 into each, a significant boost from prior years.

At the end of the day, Buckshnis reported that the sale had set another record, grossing more than $11,800, topping last year’s proceeds by more than $1,000 and ensuring healthy grant and scholarship programs in the coming year.

The Edmonds Floretum Garden Club was formed in 1922 and is among the oldest garden clubs in the nation. Learn more about the club, its grant and scholarship programs, speaker events, and more at the Floretum website here.