SANDPOINT — Residents brought umbrellas and raincoats to brave the spring rain and attend the reopening of the Aster Garden Center, now under the ownership of Kaniksu Land Trust.

The event was the culmination of a yearlong effort by KLT to expand their ability to meet and connect with residents, Katie Egland Cox, KLT’s executive director, said. Cox said that the land trust’s work revolves around three principals, conservation, education and community, but were struggling to meet that third pillar in their old office space. 

"We didn't have a place where we could be available in our community, could see us, and we could invite our community in order to have gatherings, have events, bring them together,” Cox said at the grand opening. “That community aspect of our work, we're accomplishing it now.” 

While KLT was debuting the nursey, the organization also welcomed the community into their offices at the back of the property. The land trust wasted no time bringing in volunteers and hosting several gardening classes throughout the day for attendees. 

The Aster Garden Center was opened by Karen and Paul Oleson in 2020, who worked with KLT to orchestrate the sale in 2025. Cox said the couple were even instrumental in helping them get the nursey up and running for the event, supporting them in small ways, like when to turn the water on and off, to more impactful ways like helping the team order the plants. 

“We’re just thrilled that Kaniksu Land Trust has this and will maintain it and take it to the next level,” Paul Oleson said.  

As part of the organization’s initiative, they brought on Cara Johnson, who formerly served as the East Bonner County Library’s seed library and garden coordinator, to be KLT’s nursey manager. Johnson said one of her missions was to not only bring in plants the community expects to see, but she wanted to expand the nursey’s native plant offerings. 

Johnson followed through on that vision, creating a native plant section that not only allows you to buy the region’s natural wildlife, but learn more about them as well. A short biography of the native plant accompanies the inventory, adding a personal touch to the section not found across the nursey. 

“I love helping people connect with plants,” Johnson said. “It's really exciting just to be able to open the gates and now everybody can come and hang out. We really want it to be a place where people just feel welcome, just to be and just spend time and talk to them and learn about it.” 

Both Cox and Johnson emphasized how important the nursey will be for KLT moving forward, allowing them to introduce the idea of a “collective habitat” to the community on a more personal level. Cox said that oftentimes KLT’s conservation work focuses on massive properties, like Pine Street Woods, but this property will allow them to encourage conservation on the smallest level. 

“As we're doing things like rewilding school yards, how do we then bring that for somebody down to a very personal level?” Cox said. “It might be a yard; it might be a small garden box that they're able to have on their patio, and that's it. That's all, but everybody gets to play a part. So, we're excited to bring that knowledge and understanding to everybody in our community.” 

    The gates of Aster Garden Center reopened for the first time on Saturday for a re-opening event hosted by new owners Kaniksu Land Trust.
  

    An attendee points to some of the flowers on offering in the Aster Garden Center's greenhouse during the reopening event.
  

    A look at one of the native plants offered by Kaniksu Land Trust at the Aster Garden Center