KNOXVILLE – The weather will be perfect for a visit to the University of Tennessee Gardens on Saturday, September 27 where you will find an excellent variety of perennials, shrubs, and trees to enhance your lawn and garden. UT Gardens is holding its fall plant sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Temperature are calling for sweater weather until mid-afternoon when temperatures will reach 82ºF. A preview sale will be held on Friday, September 26, from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. for all UT employees, Gardens volunteers, and Friends of the UT Gardens.

Plant sale at UT Gardens. Image courtesy of UT Gardens.

Friends of UT Gardens will also receive a 10 percent discount on all purchases. If you are not a Friend yet, you will also be able to sign up for a membership at the preview sale and receive the member discount on plants.

“Plant sales help to raise funds to support the operation of the UT Gardens” says Sue Hamilton, director of the UT Gardens. “They also give our staff a chance to share our plant knowledge and for the community to purchase exciting new plants.”

A variety of perennials, shrubs and trees will be available to purchase including a selection of miniature and dwarf conifers and cultivars of blueberries and muscadine grapes. There will be several unique trees available including Acer griseum, commonly called paper bark maple. This tree is noted for its exfoliating copper-orange to cinnamon-reddish/brown bark and its showy orange to red fall color.

The UT Gardens, Knoxville, is located just off Neyland Drive behind the UT Veterinary Medical Center. Parking is available in lot 66 directly across from the entrance to the UT Gardens. For more details on the huge selection of plants on sale, visit the UT Gardens website at utgardens.tennessee.edu.

The University of Tennessee Gardens located in Knoxville, Crossville and Jackson are part of the UT Institute of Agriculture. Designated as the official botanical garden for the State of Tennessee, the gardens’ mission is to foster appreciation, education and stewardship of plants through garden displays, educational programs and research trials. The gardens are open during all seasons and free to the public except during designated special events.