Plants for Life sale is Sept. 14 at Bartels Hall

Cornell Plantations, the Department of Horticulture, the Employee Assembly and the Office of Community Relations are sponsors of the 2002 Plants for Life Sale to benefit the Ithaca Breast Cancer Alliance, a local support, information and advocacy organization with no ties to any national group. Following the successful 2001 sale, which raised more than $12,000, Ithaca area gardeners have scheduled this event for Saturday, Sept. 14 , from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Bartels Hall on campus.

"The incredible spirit and generosity of those who have agreed to participate in one way or another is simply awe-inspiring," said Jane Baker Segelken, president of the board of the Ithaca Breast Cancer Alliance. "Last year we discovered that a strong sense of community spirit had taken root, with dozens of people offering whatever help we needed. This year is even better. More than 100 people have volunteered, and many of them are from the Cornell community."

Thousands of plants -- perennials and rock garden plants, shrubs and trees, bulbs, grasses, herbs, houseplants and orchids, and much more -- have been donated. The plants to be sold at the sale all have been cultivated in the private gardens of more than 80 gardeners from throughout the area and at more than 20 area nurseries. During the summer, many of the plants were cared for by the donors and other volunteers, as well as by the crew at Kenneth Post Labratory at Cornell. The plants will all be potted, labeled and ready for fall planting.

Susanne Lipari, an employee in the plant pathology department and a gardener from Mecklenburg who conceived the idea last year, explained: "There are plants for experienced gardeners looking for special plants to add to their collections, standbys for beginners, tough plants for those wonderful Ithaca curbside gardens, herbs for gardens or windowsills, and trees and shrubs to give backbone to existing landscapes and to create new ones. People will even find some very interesting houseplants and orchids."

Once again there will be a silent auction of more than 100 special plants and interesting garden accessories, as well as coupons for restaurant meals, massages, garden cookbooks and much more.

A special feature this year will be the availability of area landscape designers for 15-minute consultations about planning individual gardens. Anyone planning to use the service should go to the Plants for Life web site at http://www.ibca.net/plantsforlife2002.html to download a form to put in information about his or her site, and bring a picture to the sale.