Sandy Seed Library News - May 2026

Happy May, Gardeners!

This is an exciting month for us gardeners because it means we are finally able to get our plants outside and into the ground! We start to see the plant sales and swaps pop up all across the tri-county area and the desire to be among the flowers is mighty strong. I will confess that I have already been to the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden and The Oregon Garden since I wrote my last newsletter.

I am ready to be among the flowers.

Photo taken by me at the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden.

And, just a friendly reminder that both gardens are available to visit with a Cultural Pass!

To learn more about how to reserve a Cultural Pass, head to our How To blogpost! 

Upcoming Events

Seedling Swap!

Bring your extra plant starts to share with the community! This event is much like our annual seed swap, only this time we’re swapping the plants that came from those seeds. Bring what you can and take what you need.

Due to space limitations, we are only looking for seedlings that were started indoors or in a greenhouse, and not perennial plant divisions from the garden.

This is a community-driven exchange asking patrons to bring only healthy, pest-free, clearly labeled plants. Participants also accept that there is no guarantee the plants they receive will survive or be as the label intended.

When: Saturday, May 9, 2 - 3:30pm

Where: Hoyt Community Room, Sandy Public Library

Estacada Garden Club Annual Plant Sale

When: Saturday, May 9, 9 am - 4 pm

Where: Wade Creek Community Building (825 NW Wade St, Estacada)

Bountiful Seasons: Success Growing Vegetables Year-Round

Learn how to successfully grow a bounty of fresh vegetables throughout every season. OSU Extension Service Master Gardener™ volunteer Dennis Brown will offer tips on soil, fertilizer, making seed tape, sowing seeds, growing your own transplants from seed, and developing a planting plan that produces year-round fresh vegetables, whether you're gardening in containers or a garden plot.

When: Monday, May 11, 6 - 7pm

Where: Hoyt Community Room, Sandy Public Library

Sandy Garden Club Annual Plant Sale

When: Saturday, May 16, 7 am - 2 pm

Where: AntFarm Farmer's Market Lot (38696 Proctor Blvd, Sandy).

Free Screening of The Little Things That Run the World

Celebrate World Bee Day with the Bee City Action Group by attending the free screening of The Little Things That Run the World. This film introduces viewers to a diverse group of scientists, nature lovers, gardeners, farmers, and general bug enthusiasts in exploring the importance of flying insects amid rapid declines in their numbers.

When: Wednesday, May 20. Doors open at 5:45pm, film starts at 6pm.

Where: Clackamas Count Bank Theater, one door west of the bank's entrance (38975 Proctor Blvd, Sandy).

Reduce Your Lawn Day

I found out that World Bee Day and Reduce Your Lawn Day are literally the same day: May 20th. It is quite fitting (and probably by design) as reducing a lawn often has benefits for the bees because it typically means there are plants that are more pollinator-friendly added to the yard where lawn space once was.

To learn more about the campaign, visit the following sites:

• American Meadows - Reduce Your Lawn
• High Country Gardens - Reduce Your Lawn

While both these sites repeat some of the information, I like that American Meadows offers the link to take the pledge and download the yard sign, and High Country Gardens showcases a couple of Colorado yards that put the pledge into action.

Backyard Habitat has made a list of resources for inspiration that is more suited to our area:

• Backyard Habitat Yard Design Templates

What I've Been Reading:

Nettles and Petals: Grow Food, Eat Weeds, Save Seeds by Jamie Walton

I follow Jamie Walton on Instagram and really enjoy his videos so when his book came out, I needed to check it out. What he writes in his intro really feels fitting for this month:

“Amid growing climate uncertainties, and with ecosystems under mounting pressure, it may seem as though we as individuals cannot significantly impact the many global environmental challenges we face, yet the way in which we choose to garden can have profound implications on our local environment, our health and even the health of our planet and its ecosystems – as they are intrinsically connected. Private gardens in the UK account for an area of around 728,900 hectares (1,801,151 acres) which is close to five times the size of all of England’s nature reserves combined, so our gardens really do matter!”

As Jamie is referring to the private gardens in the UK, I can’t help but imagine the implications if we took some of his advice to heart in the US!

This book really includes a bit of everything! But some of the chapters that stood out were: The Wonders of Weeds, Small-Scale Sustainable Gardening, and of course Harvesting, Preserving, Saving, and Sharing.

For an example of how Jamie enjoys eating weeds, here is a reel from his Instagram that demonstrates the wonder of: dandelion micro-greens.

I usually try to balance things out with a publication from an educational institution and we all know my go-to is OSU, so here is an article on dandelions:

Dandelions: Living With, or Without, Them

What I've Been Reading Children's Edition:

Jack's Garden by Henry ColeThis picture book has wonderful illustrations that feel like a field guide, but set to poetry. It inspired me with garden design and now I have a plan to build a new flower bed along my fence.

 

As always, thank you for being here,

Brianna Chase