For over 20 years the Nanaimo Community Gardens Society has been selling organically grown seedlings to the public. Our current location for these sales is our Beban Learning Garden greenhouse located in Beban Park.
How are these seedlings different from those available at practically every big box and grocery store? Well, aside from being grown by people volunteering in your community, the seedlings often come from saved seeds and are grown within the city of Nanaimo using organic practices. The plants aren’t shipped from distant greenhouses.
Volunteers who sell plants have been involved in the process from the beginning and are happy to provide helpful gardening information. The sale of these plants helps subsidize the donation of more seedlings to local gardens and organizations, contributing to food security in the region. And lastly, the money raised through this venture is used by our society to fund our educational activities.
As they grow and get potted up, the seedlings fill the space quickly . Each plant gets cared for daily by a roster of dedicated volunteers.
If you want to know when our big plant sales events will be held, check our calendar and visit our home page where we will provide updates of upcoming sales events. In 2025 they are Saturdays 10-2 April 26 May 10, May 24 and a fall/winter vegetable event July 19 (tentative date) all taking place at Beban Learning Garden.
We also help gardeners with growing advice, transplant selection and purchase at any of our Beban Learning Garden work parties beginning in mid March. See the sidebar for current times.
Community Transplant Donations
We are pleased to be able to donate seedlings to gardens and groups who will be able to use them to provide food, gardening experience, growing education, or horticultural therapy to others.
In 2024, $1,800 worth of plants were donated to local organizations including Forest Park Elementary School, Nanaimo Affordable Housing Society, Uplands Walk Low Barrier Housing, Vancouver Island Mental Health, Eden Gardens, Kiwanis Village, Georgia Ave. Elementary, Wellington Secondary, Bayview Elementary School, Cedar Secondary, NDSS, and as well Nanaimo Foodshare helps us distribute through their excellent Learn to Grow” School Garden Facilitation program (4 Nanaimo schools in 2024).