Pollinator-Friendly Bulbs at SHS Sale

Allium 'Mount Everest' is a stunning snow-white beauty that blooms in late spring and makes a strong visual impact in the garden.

The days are growing shorter, the nights chillier, and the pumpkin spice knows no bounds. As every gardener knows, that can mean only one thing — spring! 

On Saturday, October 10, the Swarthmore Horticultural Society will hold its annual Bulb Sale. The variety of beautiful spring-blooming bulbs will add early pops of color and texture to every garden space. This month is the perfect time to plant bulbs: the soil temperature is cooling but freezing temperatures have not set in. 

The sale will be held from 10 a.m. to noon in front of Harvey Oak Mercantile (H.O.M.) at 102 Park Ave., Swarthmore. 

Safety measures will be in place this year in recognition of COVID-19 risk. Tables of bulbs will be positioned on the sidewalk in front of the store, and volunteers will ensure that shoppers maintain a safe distance. Masks are required. 

This year’s 11 selections offer a wide variety of color and bloom time, and many attract butterflies and bees as part of SHS’s continued mission of encouraging everyone to plant pollinator-friendly flowers and shrubs. 

Varieties range from the exquisite double-flowered Tulip ‘Giant Peach’, new for 2020, to the spectacular Allium ‘Summer Drummer’, one of the tallest of all allium and a bee magnet. 

There will also be an opportunity to donate to our new partner, the Wesley AME Church in Swarthmore. Located on Bowdoin Avenue in Swarthmore’s Historically Black Neighborhood, the church will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2021. It is raising funds for much-needed work on its deteriorating foundation.