The smell of spring is in the air and it’s time to think about your garden.
For those keen to acquire some new plants, St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church on State Highway One at Rakaia is the place to be on September 30.
Plants 4 U Rakaia organiser Dorothy Knight said the sale opens 9am.
‘‘But the queue to get in starts forming at about 8.30am. People come from all over to buy and the day is popular.’’
For 13 years now the church has held this fundraiser.
When they began they raised $2000 from a sale and for the last four years they have raised $6000 per sale.
‘‘Over the years we have probably raised $60,000 for the work of the church in the community.’’
Dorothy is a keen gardener and personally supplies around 1000 plants each year for the sale.
‘‘We have a hang of a lot of plants for sale.’’
Many of the plants are grown by locals and anyone wanting to give plants is welcome.
Rakaia’s Van Zanten Flowerbulbs have been great supporters of the plant sales giving lily bulbs.
This year Bakker Bulbs Limited of Rakaia is donating lily bulbs.
‘‘The donation of the lily bulbs is of great help to our fundraiser, they are very popular and people want them,’’ Dorothy said.
Local Millward Nursery are also generous supporters of this plant sale donating a variety of plants.
‘‘The popular plants are the hostas, peony roses but they are becoming harder to come by, strawberry plants in containers and natives.’’
Dorothy said ‘‘We have a wide variety of plants for sales including flowers, veges, shrubs, raspberry canes, perennials, succulents, bulbs and this year we have lots of fruit trees as well as eggs and marmalade.’’
‘‘In previous years we have also had a small lot of gardening books and the occasional gardening tool, it just depends what is donated, all things gardening are welcome.’’
St Andrew’s is part of the Plains Presbyterian Parish and other churches in the parish do provide some support but the funds raised are used in the Rakaia area.
The fundraiser is for the church’s outreach projects and pastoral care.
The funds have previously been used to help people in need in the Rakaia area as well as community programmes.
The community programmes they have supported have included the Rakaia Sharing Shed, supplying plants for the school gardens and the Village Green project, bringing different worship services to community, the Fitz Kids and holiday programmes as well as the Rakaia Friendship group.
- Plants 4 U Rakaia on September 30 from 9am-1pm at St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, State Highway 1 Rakaia, a wide variety of plants for cash sale.
Donations of plants can be left at the church from September 27 between 10am-4pm or if in Rakaia ph Dorothy 3027595 to arrange pick up.
