Just in time for Mother’s Day, Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum (FOLA) will host its annual Plant Sale on Saturday, May 9, from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The arboretum is located at 725 Pines Lake Drive West (entrances at Vale Road and Pines Lake Drive) in Wayne. The plant sale will feature a selection of high-quality annual and perennial plants, container gardens and hanging plants. Also for sale will be some special plants grown in the greenhouse from cuttings of plants in the arboretum.

At 12 noon, Brian Coleman of the North American Rock Garden Society will demonstrate hypertufa trough planting in the beautiful stone troughs that he created and donated to the Knippenberg Center for Education at the arboretum. “I’ve been fascinated by hypertufa for ten years,” said Brian. “I think it’s where my fine-art sculpture background meets my love of plants and gardens.”

The new Knippenberg Center for Education will be open during the hours of the plant sale. A variety of garden-related books and other items will be for sale at the center. There will also be a membership table for those who wish to join FOLA or renew their membership. Members are entitled to a 10% discount on plants at the sale.

The arboretum will be ablaze with colors, textures and aromas as the flowering trees, early spring bulbs and perennials burst into bloom. Laurelwood is home to hundreds of varieties of azaleas and rhododendrons, including many unique hybrids. Dozens of native dogwoods, oakleaf and climbing hydrangeas, hostas, daylilies, lilacs, irises and other plants will be flowering in May.

All proceeds from the plant sale will benefit FOLA, the nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and maintaining Laurelwood Arboretum in partnership with Wayne Township. FOLA welcomes new members and encourages current members to rejoin for 2015. Membership in FOLA is $25 and makes a great Mother’s Day gift.