North American Native Plant Society

FAQ:

Why does NANPS hold this sale?  

Our annual sale serves as an educational vehicle... allowing NANPS to showcase hundreds of native species and to introduce thousands of native plants into GTA gardens..  We feel that it is important to help people choose the RIGHT plants for their location...so we have knowledgeable volunteers on hand to answer your questions. If you miss the spring sale, NANPS also has a smaller selection of native plants available at booths around the GTA (see the calendar for details) and at our fall Annual General Meeting.

The annual plant sale is also our primary fundraiser. It provides most of the funds needed to run the organization for the remainder of the year.

So wouldn't it be cheaper for me to buy my plants elsewhere?

Even though this is a fundraiser, our prices are very competitive.  We have maintained the same prices for at least ten years, but this year we have had to increase them slightly. The wholesale price of the plants has gone up and so has the cost of transporting them.   

Keep in mind though, when you buy from commercial outlets, it can be difficult to find out where the plants came from.  NANPS brings together plants from several LOCAL specialized growers...so you KNOW they're suitable for planting in the GTA. And having them all in one location saves you from driving from nursery to nursery to find the plants you want. 

By buying from NANPS you're also supporting a great cause!

What happens if some of my plants don't arrive?

Despite our best efforts, there are always last minute cancellations. If we know a few days before the sale that some of your order won't be arriving ... we will send you an email asking you to select alternatives. Later cancellations will be posted on the entrance doors .. so you can shop the sales floor for replacements before collecting the rest of your order.

Can I Get a Refund?

This is a charitable fundraiser. We count on advance order sales to help us decide how many additional plants to bring into the sale. In the unlikely event that a large portion of your order isn't available, and you really can't find any other plants at the sale that you'd enjoy having in your garden, we'd appreciate your accepting a charitable donation receipt in place of a refund.

I'm new to native plants...how do I find out more?

You can spend some time browsing through our online database for information about individual plants.  The database is sortable by plant type, light, soil and habitat conditions.  If you still have questions ask any of our helpful volunteers or visit the "Ask an Expert" table at the sale. 

Where does NANPS get the sale plants?

NANPS has inspected and developed a relationship with many local, highly ethical, native plant nurseries.  We also accept plant donations from our members.  Donated plants are sold, usually at a reduced price, at a special donations table.  If you have plants to donate please contact  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  for details.

Non-profit or charitable environmental organizations are invited to exhibit at the sale. Please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for details.

Why aren't all species available for advance ordering? 

Some species are only available in very small quantities from our growers.  Others are difficult to grow or are generally late to emerge in the spring.  Our growers are proud of their plants and generally refuse to ship plants that they aren't confident will survive.  Rather than disappointing you when you arrive to collect your order, these plants are only available from the sales floor...assuming they arrive at all.

It's important to note, that while some species are only available on the sales floor...others are only available via advance ordering since they may have limited commercial appeal and we don't have the ability to hold over unsold plants for future sales.

Why do you charge a handling fee?

NANPS is a volunteer-operated society but assembling these orders often takes many hours -- diverting our volunteers from other activities and sometimes necessitating working late into the night before the sale.  The small fee (less than taxes paid at retail outlets on most orders) goes toward providing refreshments for these hard working individuals and other incidental costs of providing this service and other NANPS activities.  

I'm not a member.  Can I still pre-order?

Yes.  Simply join the Society when you place your order.  You'll be given that option after you finish selecting your plants.  Advance ordering is one of the benefits that we offer our members...along with a 16-page quarterly newsletter, information sheets and discounts to other NANPS activities like seminars and excursions.

What's a Green Orphan tray?

Unsold plants available at the end of the day from NANPS green orphanage at a substantial discount.  Bad weather, road construction and other unforeseeable events can contribute to poor attendance on the day of the sale.  A late spring can mean that some species have barely emerged and don't look their best when they arrive, or sometimes we simply misjudge what plants will be popular.  For whatever reason, there are usually some plants left over at the end of the day.  NANPS sells these at a variety of booths throughout May and June...but we'd rather find them homes sooner.   A green orphan tray consists of 15 plants of your choice selected from the unsold plants -- at a substantial discount!  NANPS doesn't make money on these trays...but we're happy that these plants find homes.  Since this is a fundraiser, we do our best to sell most plants at the retail rate so only a very few trays are offered at this price. This option is ONLY available as an advance order.

Why do some plants seem small?

NANPS plants are grown by native plant nurseries which operate a bit differently from more commercial sources.  They are grown according to local conditions...usually not pushed along in heated greenhouses for earlier sale.  The majority are also grown from seed...not cloned or hybridized for standardized growth...so there can be considerable variability within a single species.  Perennials also grow at different rates...some emerge later and may only be showing the beginnings of growth on the day of the sale.  Others may have already passed their peak...Spring Beauties, for example, usually have already bloomed and are entering dormancy (for improved transplanting success) by early May.  The few plants that are in full flower at our sale are usually snapped up quickly...but all the plants, given time, will eventually have their day.

How does NANPS benefit from my advance order?

By placing your order in advance, NANPS knows that these plants are guaranteed a home.  It also helps us to gauge which plants may be popular on the day of the sale so we have a better idea what to order from local growers.  Remember, we are not a full-time nursery and we don't have facilities to house plants leftover at the end of the day.  By ordering ahead of time, we know that your plants will be going to a good home!

How else can I help?

If you have pictures of native plants, especially those lacking pictures in our database, please submit them to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

If you'd like to write up a species account for NANPS website or help to update the general information in the database, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

We always welcome volunteers!  Please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to offer your services for the plant sale or other activities.  You provide the enthusiasm.  NANPS provides the experience.