Only two days left to order native plants for fall!

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BDNA is partnering with Multnomah County Master Gardeners, PSU’s Learning Gardens Lab, and Black Futures Farm to offer this community event!

Plants for the Planet ~ Proceeds for the Community!

Online order open NOW for Oct pick-up!

(Scroll to the bottom of this post to see volunteer opportunities, including first dibs at the end of pick-up flash sale!)

Sparrowhawk Native Plants partners with community organizations to provide over 100 species of habitat-friendly and climate-resilient plants to local gardeners. This fall, they’re teaming up with Brentwood-Darlington Neighborhood Association, and the Green Thumb Garden Site (that’s us!), Portland Community College Sylvania’s Habitat Restoration Team, Columbia Slough Watershed Council and Friends of Tualatin Hills Nature Park. By our powers combined, over 40,000 native plants will take root and about $20,000 will go back to these inspiring community partners.

How it Works

Order Plants Online between Aug 15 – Sept 12: Browse profiles of more than 100 native plant species from the comfort of your couch. Filter by sun, moisture, and more to find the right plant for the right place in your yard. Sink your hands in the dirt and feel good! Your new native plants will support birds, bees, and butterflies in your neighborhood, plus proceeds support the community partner hosting each pop-up event. Some species may sell out, so we recommend getting your order in quickly! At checkout, select your pick-up location, date and time.

We’ll look forward to seeing you at one of the four pick-up locations in October (find details + pick-up addresses on our website). These pop-ups are large, outdoor, parking-lot style events;

  • SE Portland on Sept 30/Oct 1 – hosted by and benefiting Brentwood-Darlington Neighborhood Association and the Green Thumb Garden Site – That’s us! Choose this one!
    • Pick-up location is Brentwood-Darlington Community Center (7211 SE 62nd Ave, 97206)
  • SW Portland on Oct 7/8 – hosted by and benefiting PCC Sylvania’s Habitat Restoration Team and Environmental Center
  • NE Portland on Oct 14/15 – hosted by and benefiting Columbia Slough Watershed Council
  • Beaverton on Oct 21/22 – hosted by and benefiting Friends of Tualatin Hills Nature Park

About our Community Partners

Growing, Educating & Connecting Communities.
Multnomah County Master Gardeners share research-based knowledge with the public to promote sustainable gardening practices. Our work supports and enhances the Oregon State University Extension Master Gardener Program.

* ‘Multnomah County Master GardenerTM Demonstration Garden in collaboration with and in support of the OSU Extension Service Master Gardener Program’

Black Futures Farm exists to repair the broken relationship between Black people and the land. While cultivating produce, we are also cultivating community.  We hosts several community building events such as workshops, attend local farmers markets, and have volunteer opportunities throughout the year.  We would like to be able to raise funds to put together a more functional setup for said events. 

Learnings Gardens Lab (LGL) is a 12-acre garden education site located in Southeast Portland that provides K-12, university students and community members hands-on and place-based education in sustainable gardening, healthy nutrition, and permaculture. Education at LGL supports improved academic achievement, leadership development, and the development of sustainable local food systems.

Sparrowhawk Native Plants is a new kind of nursery. Instead of a traditional brick-and-mortar, we offer online sales of premium-quality native plants coupled with neighborhood pop-up events each spring and fall for picking up your order. Each pop-up is hosted in partnership with a different community organization that gets a percent of the proceeds. Through this innovative model, you’re planting the right plants in the right season for our climate, scoring unbeatable prices, supporting insects and wildlife, all while giving back to your community! More information about Sparrowhawk; our inventory, values, and plant sources can be found at http://www.sparrowhawknativeplants.com

Volunteers Needed!

This event can only happen with volunteers like YOU! Shifts and roles available for all ages and abilities. See below for the descriptions and then click here to sign-up using our Sign-Up Genius.

VOLUNTEER SHIFTS & ROLES:

  • PLANT TAGGING & PREP – Thurs, Sept 29, 1pm – 5pm
    • Need: 12 – 14 volunteers needed for this shift/role 
    • Description of role: This shift focuses on watering, organizing and labeling about 10,000 plants before customers arrive. Requires constant and repetitive bending, squatting, sitting/kneeling on the ground – but no plant identification skills are needed. It is perfect for agile people that are excited to improve their plant skills. Outside. Rain or shine. 
  • ORDER PICK-UP DAYS – Fri, Sept 30, 8:30am – 12:30pm, Fri, Sept 30, 1pm – 5pm, and Sat, Oct 1, 8:30am – 12:30pm
    • Need: 5 volunteers needed for this shift; 1 check-in support, 1 plant prepper, 2 customer service cart wranglers, 1 plant pro
    • Description of roles: 
      • Check-in Support: Greets customers, pulls order forms from numerically-organized file-box, and provides thorough instructions. Must be very friendly, good at giving clear verbal instructions, and acting as an ambassador of your organization. Most of the shift is spent standing, but chairs are available for breaks and down-time. No lifting, bending or plant skills needed. Outside, under a canopy. Rain or shine.
      • Plant Prepper: Love handling native plants and making them look their best? Then this role is for you! Help keep our plant inventory watered and looking tidy throughout the weekend by keeping rows neat and plant trays full. May include occasional customer service, as needed. Requires standing/walking on pavement for the duration of the shift, repetitive bending and light lifting. Outside. Rain or shine.  
      • Customer Service Cart Wranglers (2): This role is great for friendly, outgoing folks that love interacting with the public and finding ways to make this event as inclusive and fun as possible. You will offer to pull plants for folks, help others to their car, and wrangle the carts to keep them orderly. Requires standing/walking on pavement for the duration of the shift, some bending and light lifting, and pulling carts. Native plant knowledge is a huge plus, but not required. Outside. Rain or shine.   
      • Plant Pro: Double checks plant orders at checkout to ensure everything is accurate and accounted for. This is the only role that requires native plant identification skills. All plants are labeled – but the task is much easier and smoother if you can quickly recognize many native plant species quickly. Outside. Rain or shine.
  • FLASH SALE + TEAR DOWN – Sat, Oct 1, 1pm – 5pm
    • Need: 3 volunteers needed for this shift 
    • Description of role: flash sale/tear down shift volunteers will help pack up the event and leave the site in tip-top shape. This shift is more physically laborious and includes tearing down/carrying canopies, loading boxes and tubs, helping out with the flash sale, and loading up uhauls. Volunteers on this shift are rewarded by getting FIRST DIBS AT THE FLASH SALE!!