The Vashon-Maury Island Garden Club will hold its popular annual plant sale on Saturday, May 5.

The sale provides an opportunity for the island gardeners to stock up on their favorites as well as this year’s collection of exotic plants. Joan Costa, co-chair of the plant sale committee, reminds everyone to arrive early, as special items sell out quickly. This is particularly true in the sale’s Shabby Chic Garden Boutique, returning this year with eclectic garden art, patio furnishings, gardening books, tools and pots all donated by club members. Last year the hot items were three life-size stone buddhas.

“We are always surprised and delighted with donations for the boutique,” boutique coordinator Anna Martinsen said.

Garden club members start preparing for the annual fundraising event in the fall with softwood cuttings and divisions of their garden treasures: hostas, hydrangeas, rhododendrons, hebes, peonies and more. Club members are especially grateful for donations from the garden of Whit and Mary Carhart, collectors of unusual, species plants. Trudy Rosemarin and Nancy Hostica led the volunteers in the greenhouse, promising a great selection of vegetables, 13 varieties of tomatoes and popular annual flowers, including cosmos, sunflowers, asters, calendulas, godetia, marigolds, nasturtiums, sweet peas, nicotiana and zinnias. The greenhouse team works for months digging, dividing, potting, watering and — oh yes — talking to small seedlings and starts to ensure customers get strong and happy plants.

Proceeds from the plant sale fundraiser go to support gardening programs and projects at Chautauqua Elementary, McMurray Middle School, Vashon High School and The Harbor School. The sale also funds scholarships for graduating high school seniors. And for the last two years, the garden club has been proud to include the Friends of Mukai Farm and Garden in its list of grant recipients.

The sale, which has been held in a variety of locations over the years, will be held at Island Home Center & Lumber. It will includean information table for those who might be interested in joining the club and club members on hand who are master gardeners to help with gardening questions.

The sale will begin at 9 a.m.

— Deborah Richards