2009 sale dates: May 8, 9 and 10.

Looking for the shopping list form? Here it is. (pdf, 12K)

Shopping at the Friends School Plant Sale, in the Minnesota State Fair Grandstand, is an experience in and of itself. We’ve prepared these tips to help you navigate the sale so you can enjoy yourself.

Map of the sale floor

NEW wristband system for Friday & Sunday morning

Before the sale opens on Friday morning (and until the line dies down, probably between noon and 1:00 p.m.), you will be given a wristband with a group number (Group 1, Group 2, etc..). This means you do not have to wait in line the entire time.

You will then enter the sale in groups of 50 (based on your wristband group number) starting at 11 am. If you have been waiting elsewhere, please plan to be near the entrance at the east end of the Grandstand by around 10:30, so you can find your group. Don’t worry…we’ll have volunteers to help.

We will use the wristband system again on Sunday morning.

Please note: If you have friends arriving later than you or parking the car, they will be given a number at the time of their arrival, not yours. This new system will make the waiting process fair for everyone, and we appreciate your cooperation.

Going through the Sale

  • Parking at the State Fair is easy. It is legal to park on the streets, and there are large lots to the southwest of the Grandstand (it’s the area used during the Fair as the Midway). You will be able to drive up to the pickup area at the southwest corner of the Grandstand plaza to load your plants, and there will be curbside help with loading (see the last point under Checking Out). Metro Transit route number 84 on Snelling and number 3 on Como serve the Fair Grounds.
  • There is one entrance to the sale, at the southeast corner of the Grandstand, and one exit at the southwest corner.
  • Write down your purchases as you go. Pick up a shopping list form at the door, or if you like to plan ahead, use the downloadable form (pdf, 12K) to make your list beforehand. You can cross out anything you don’t buy or change the quantity to your actual purchase as you go through the sale. (Bring a pen or pencil, or pick one up at the door.)
  • If you can, bring a cart or wagon to hold your plants as you move through the sale. There are some wagons and shopping carts available at the sale, but they are in constant use. If you bring a wagon, please label it somehow so it doesn’t get mixed up with someone else’s; and don’t leave your wagon unattended.

Finding the Plants You’re Looking for

  • In the Grandstand, the catalog numbers are your best means of locating the plants. Each category (such as Annuals or Perennials) has a letter to begin its catalog numbers (G for Grasses, H for Herbs). Remember—the numbers are assigned alphabetically by the common name we give the plants (for instance, Hollyhock, French, rather than French Hollyhock).
  • Catalog listings that say “in Bulbs & Bareroots” can be found on the shelves in the northeast corner of the room. These include lilies, daylilies and many other species. All bulbs and bareroots are prebagged to expedite your shopping.

Checking Out

  • At the checkouts you will need the plant’s name, its cost, and how many you have. This is important: Shoppers who do not record this information will have to go to the Price Check table so they don’t impede those who have recorded the information. If you have picked up a plant that you cannot identify, you can stop by the Price Check table before getting into the checkout line. All prices must be recorded on your sheet before checkout.
  • There will be an Express Lane for shoppers with eight or fewer items. The Express Lane has a separate line at all times, located against the south wall.
  • You will be able to pay for your plants with cash, check, MasterCard or Visa (NO American Express, Discover, or others. Sorry!). You will be able to move through the cashier lines more quickly if you pay by check or exact change. Checks should be made out to Friends School of Minnesota or FSM.
  • Be advised that Friday up until about 3:00 p.m. is very busy and you should expect to wait to check out. This also happens on Sunday, particularly for the first few hours
  • If you purchase an item from a vendor, please pay each vendor for any purchases you make there. If you buy a plant from a vendor, the vendor will mark the pot so we will not charge you again at the final checkout.
  • The Rare Plants area will be using a “lumber yard” system…you will need to reserve your plants, and then come back to pick them up (with your receipt) after you have paid the cashier. The Rare Plants booth will be located next to the exit to facilitate pickup.
  • After checkout, you can leave your plants at the curb southwest of the Grandstand and return to pick them up in your car. Students or other volunteers will be helping at the curb. You will receive a number to differentiate your plants from others’ (similar to the Byerly’s system).

Generally…

  • There will not be food concessions during the sale this year. If you would like a list of restaurants or coffeeshops in the area ahead of time, send us an email to info@friendsschoolplantsale.com.
  • On half-price Sunday, please write down the full price of each plant. The discount will be taken at the register.
  • Plant Sale volunteers will be wearing blue and green tie-dyed shirts; some may be in aprons marked with the sale’s logo. If you need more assistance than a volunteer can offer, look for one of the Plant Sale’s organizers in a bright pink hat.
  • We love feedback on how your plants do in your garden, especially survival or failure of the new or unusual things we offer. How did your blue poppies do last year? Send your comments to info@friendsschoolplantsale.com.