Though we have overcast skies, iced-over puddles, and light snow showers today, I’m excited to find announcements of upcoming plant swaps and native plant sales in southeast Michigan.
This year marks the third year I’ve compiled a list of publicly announced spring plant swaps and sales in southeast Michigan.
If you’re new to gardening or an avid gardener and looking to expand your garden this year, check out my list.
Note: some of the plant swaps are native plants only while others include house plants, vegetables, annuals, and non-native perennials.
I know a few plant swaps haven’t been publicly announced at our local libraries, so I plan to update this post in late April.
Check deadlines for native plant sales, some deadlines are in March 2026.
Native Plant Swaps and Sales
One of my favorite ways to learn about native plants is from community-organized plant swaps.
Thanks to fellow local gardeners I’ve met at plant swaps, I’ve learned a lot over the past three years.
I’ve extended my own garden with new native plants as well as new perennials I’ve wanted to try out.
And it’s not only plants I find at the swaps, I’ve found seeds, shrubs, and tree saplings.
In addition to plant swaps, county extensions, friends’ groups, and native plant nurseries have time-limited plant sales in spring where you can purchase single plants, flats of plants, and individual/large quantities of tree saplings for your garden.
Note: all times are Eastern Daylight Time.
Native Plant Swaps
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Farmington Community Library 3rd Annual Plant Swap
- Where: Farmington Community Library at 23500 Liberty Street, Farmington, MI 48335
- When: May 16, 2026 from 11:00AM to noon in the Meeting Room
- Details: Share your seeds and potted plants with fellow gardeners at the plant swap.
Share seeds or or potted plants with neighbors, find new plants for your garden, and meet other gardening enthusiasts.
Label all plants for swapping, on the container include the plant name, sun requirements, perennial information, and care tips.
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Ypsilanti District Library-Whittaker Native Plant Swap
- Where: Ypsilanti District Library-Whittaker in Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197
- When: May 16, 2026 from 11:00AM to noon in the Whittaker Garden (next to the parking lot, southwest of the library building)
- Details: Join Washtenaw County Master Rain Gardeners members for their spring plant swap. Bring your plants/shrubs/trees to swap, be sure to label plants with name and their sun preference.
I’ve attended the swap for the past three years, one of my favorite swaps! Each time I bring my Lanceleaf coreopsis and Great blue lobelia, which are favorites for many gardeners.
At their fall swap last year, I picked up another Pawpaw sapling, which I hope made it through our harsh winter.
Plant Sales
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Fair Lane Estate Annual Plant Sale
- Where: Henry Ford Estate, 1 Fair Lane Drive, Dearborn, MI 48128
- When: May 15 and 16, 2026 from 9:00AM to 3:00PM
- Details: The annual garden volunteers fundraiser will have a variety of plants for sale, including native plants, vegetables, herbs, annuals, and perennials as well as bee houses and birdhouses.
The plant sale will be in a large tent next to the parking lot.
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Washtenaw County Conservation District Spring Native Plant Pre-Sale
- Where: Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds, 5055 Ann Arbor-Saline Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48103
- When: Spring Tree & Shrub Sale orders can be placed online by March 23, 2026; pickup is April 24, 2026 from 1:00PM to 6:00PM or April 25, 2026 from 9:00AM to 11:00AM at the Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds. Spring Native Plant Sales orders can be placed online by March 23, 2026; pickup is June 6, 2026 from 9:00AM to 1:00PM at the Native Plant Expo & Marketplace.
- Details: Credit card or check is accepted for online orders.
Native plants can also be bought from vendors at the Native Plant Expo on June 6, 2026.
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Native Plant Sale at Bowers School Farm Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
- Where: Bowers Farm – Bloomfield Hills Schools 1219 East Square Lake Road Bloomfield Hills, MI, 48304
- When: Pre-order your native plants from March 5, 2026 to May 1, 2026. Pickup is June 6, 2026 (time not given as of March 18, 2026).
- Details: Plants are three-inch junior sizes at $6 each. The kits are a tray of three-inch pot size with 32 pre-selected plants and come with a design plan for $120.
All proceeds from the plant sale support the Master Gardeners of Oakland County who volunteer to provide Bowers School Farm horticultural gardens.
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Clinton River Watershed County Native Plant Sale
- Where: Spencer Park, 3701 John R. Road, Rochester Hills, MI 48307
- When: Pre-orders until April 22, 2026. Pickup is May 16, 2026 from 11:00AM to 3:00PM. Shop in person at Spencer Park on May 16, 2026 from 11:00AM to 3:00PM.
- Details: Native plants, grasses, sedges, garden kits, and plug flats (38 plugs of single species only, woodland and sedge flats aren’t available).
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Friends of the Rouge Spring Sale
- Where: Ford Field Park, 22051 Cherry Hill St, Dearborn, MI 48124 for pickup near South Shelter.
- When: Pre-orders until April 22, 2026. Pickup pre-orders on May 16, 2026 from 10:00AM to 1:00PM.
- Details: Build your own native kit (three species), native garden kit, native wildflower flat (single species), and native grass flat (single species).
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Kensington Metropark Nature Center Native Plant Sale
- Where: Kensington Metropark Nature Center, 4570 Huron River Parkway, Milford, Michigan 48381
- When: May 16, 2026 and May 17, 2026 from 10am to 4pm
- Details: Native plants, shrubs, and trees will be for sale. “All plants for sale are Michigan native genotypes, which means they are more likely to thrive in our area and will be more beneficial to local wildlife.”
Plants are from Wildtype Native Plant Nursery, which collects seeds from southeast Michigan metroparks.
Boxes and bags may be available, but they recommend you bring your own. In the past, I’ve brought a large cardboard packing box lid.
Best selection is Saturday; plants get picked over quickly.
No pricing was available on their event description.
Summary
As I do every year, I can’t wait to see what I find at this spring’s plant swaps and sales.
If you know of other plant swaps and native plants sales in southeast Michigan, share details and info in the comments.
