Shop the largest plant sale in the state at the Friends School Plant Sale at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds May 8th- 10th, 2026! You’ll find over 2,000 plant varieties!
I sure hope we can safely say that Spring is here!! The upcoming Friends School Plant sale is a great way to find the plants we need!
One of the largest, if not THE largest plant sale in the whole Midwest happens in May at the MN State Fairgrounds. This year, the Friends School Plant Sale begins Friday, May 8th and continues through Sunday, May 10th.
The sale features a full line of annuals, perennials, climbing plants, native perennials, and vegetables, with selected roses, trees and shrubs and an increasing selection of fruit.
With over 2,000 plant varieties, there’s bound to be something for everyone, green thumb or not. Plus there are always gift ideas from local exhibitors, perfect for your own yard or for your friends and family who love to garden.
To be prepared you may want to read up on how the sale works, check out the map, hours and tips. You can find the need to know info here on their website.
Important details…
No parking in the Midway. The biggest news this year is that we’ve changed our primary parking lot and moved the Wristband Booth and Garden Fair locations. Our parking lot is now in the Transit Hub, northwest of the Grandstand. The Wristband Booth and Garden Fair are in the plaza between parking and the Plant Sale. Note: With these changes, there is no parking in the Midway.
Friends School Plant Sale 2026 Details (Direct from the Sale):
- New plants: There are more than 200 new varieties in this year’s sale: 51 annuals, including nine new dahlias, five coleus, and four petunias…40 perennials, with 11 lilies, six peonies, and seven daylilies…16 shrubs and trees, including three roses…17 herbs, including five lavender and two new gingers…Six new clematis…39 unusual and rare plants, with nine peonies, four martagons, and two lady’s slippers, including the return of the native species…27 vegetables, with six new tomatoes.
- More information about wait times. For the first time, we’ve provided information on estimated entry wait times, based on when you arrive at the sale. You can sign up for texts after you receive your wristband, or on the day you shop. When you sign up, you are only asked for your phone number and wristband number. We delete all phone numbers after the sale is over. (You can also check for estimated wait times for wristband groups on the days of the sale.)
- New hot pepper scale: Our hot pepper section now includes a 1 to 5 heat scale for each variety, which corresponds to available information on Scoville heat units. For many of the peppers, you will also find the SHU in our online listings. In the printed catalog, we use a new pepper icon to represent the 1 to 5 scale.
- New accessible parking option. There are now two locations for accessible parking. Thank you to last year’s shoppers for their feedback:
- Metro Mobility drop-off has changed. The Metro Mobility drop-off address is now 1780 Dan Patch Avenue. This is right in front of the sale’s entrance. Details here.
- No MWGS at the Garden Fair this year. The Minnesota Water Garden Society will not be selling water plants at the Garden Fair this year. They do not plan to hold a plant sale in 2026.
Tips for shopping the sale:
For the smallest crowds shop late afternoon on Friday or Saturday or on Sunday after noon. If you volunteer you can shop on Thursday!
To ensure you get the plants you want, arrive super early on Friday morning (7 am or earlier), or on the weekend by 9 am. Or again, volunteer!
To pay the least for your plants you can shop on Sunday when all remaining plant are 1/3 off.
More Twin Cities Plant Sales
Annual Spring Plant Sale at Hennepin Technical College
Ramsey County Master Gardener Annual Plant Sale
Garden Club of Minneapolis Plant Sale
Barton School Plant Sale (Minneapolis)
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Plant Sale
Hennepin County Master Gardeners Plant Sale
- About the Author
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Kristi is married with twin daughters. She grew up on a small dairy farm, but now lives in the south metro area. She enjoys finding free or thrifty things to do whether they are outings close to home or last minute adventures to far-away places.
Kristi can also be found enjoying estate sales, attempting to garden, volunteering in the wetlands or a favorite thrift store, or maybe just enjoying a good play in one of the many theatre venues in the area.
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