This Saturday, May 5, plan an outing to OXA香蕉视频直播檚 very popular xeriscape plant sale from 9 a.m. to noon in the H2O Garden in front of the H2O Aquatic Centre, 4075 Gordon Drive.

The sale has over 45 xeriscape plant varieties, mostly propagated from the unH2O Garden.

See for sale details and a full list of plants.

Okanagan native plants at the sale include: giant wild rye, pussytoes, orange arnica and showy aster.

There is an excellent selection of hen and chicks and an abundance of sedums that make good (non-walkable) ground covers. Penstemon 香蕉视频直播楻ed Rocks香蕉视频直播� could be added to these for season-long bloom.

New this year, are pots of bulbs in bloom for sale:

Grape hyacinth combines well with other bulbs and spring bloomers.

Turkistan onion is low-growing with stunning leaves and white flower heads.

To coincide with the rapidly growing interest in planting pollinator gardens to make nectar trails throughout Kelowna, we are featuring some great pollinator-attracting plants.

The unH2O Garden is full of pollinator plants making it the perfect northern anchor point for the 2017 nectar trail pilot project created through public and private gardens in the Mission neighbourhood.

Nepeta 香蕉视频直播榃alker香蕉视频直播檚 Low香蕉视频直播� (Walker香蕉视频直播檚 Low catnip) is a bee-magnet, blooming from April through to frost. It香蕉视频直播檚 also extremely drought-tolerant. It grows to about 24x24 inches.

Perennial salvias, Caradonna and East Friesland have deep blue/purple spikes in May and June and again at summer香蕉视频直播檚 end. They grow 12-18香蕉视频直播� wide by 16-24香蕉视频直播� tall depending on conditions.

Coreopsis 香蕉视频直播楪olden Gain香蕉视频直播� has small, single, deep yellow daisies floating on a mass of fine foliage 18x18香蕉视频直播� from June through September.

Sedum 香蕉视频直播楢utumn Fire香蕉视频直播� grows to an attractive, shrub-like mound 18-24香蕉视频直播� high and wide. Blooming August to October, its large, flat flower heads are a magnet for late season pollinators.

Echinacea 香蕉视频直播楳agnus香蕉视频直播� (purple coneflower) has large, dark pink flowers and grows to 24-36香蕉视频直播� high and wide. Its seed heads are popular winter bird food.

Rudbeckia 香蕉视频直播楪oldsturm香蕉视频直播� produces large yellow daisies from June to September and also has attractive black seed heads for winter bird food. It grows to 24x30香蕉视频直播� and needs more water than the rest of the plants listed here.

For a great, low-maintenance combination, mass plant rudbeckia with Calamagrostis 香蕉视频直播楰arl Foerster香蕉视频直播� (feather reed grass). It has a vertical growth habit. Seed stems stand about 5香蕉视频直播� tall and the plant is 2-3香蕉视频直播� wide.

Check for a wealth of information to help you create your own nectar garden and learn about wild bees. Visit their information booth at the sale.

SeedCo will be at the sale with a selection of Okanagan native plant seeds for purchase, most of which are great for pollinators.

After loading up at OXA香蕉视频直播檚 plant sale check out Friends of Summerland Ornamental Gardens plant sale May 5 and 6 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

At the sale Kathryn McCourt will be giving a free workshop from 1 to 3 p.m. each day entitled 香蕉视频直播淥kanagan Gardening for Newcomers香蕉视频直播�.

Check for more free workshops.

Gwen Steele is executive-director of the non-profit Okanagan Xeriscape Association.