SEBRING -- If extra time at home has awakened the sleeping gardener in you, here’s an opportunity to get away from home, increase your plant knowledge, and purchase plants that are perfect for your garden. On Saturday March 6, the Highlands County Master Gardener Volunteers will hold a plant sale by appointment only, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. It will be held outside in the propagation area south of the Bert J. Harris Agriculture Center building,  4509 George Blvd., Sebring.

Were your plants damaged by the recent cold spell? Come in and find some replacements. The plants on offer include pollinator favorites, ornamentals, and edibles including berries, tropical fruits and vegetables. For those who’ve tried to grow northern varieties of blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries there are top varieties adapted to Central Florida. Vegetables include some little known but very nutritious greens.

If you’re looking for flowering plants, Firecracker Flower, Blackberry Lily, Powderpuff, and Flowering Maple are great choices. They’re both beautiful and unusual. For foliage plants, we can offer Hawaiian Ti, Croton, Dwarf Elephant Ear, and more.

A small selection of orchids that grow in ordinary soil, are strikingly beautiful, and require minimal attention will be available. The collection also includes the prized Vanilla Orchid.

Adding native plants to your landscaping is a terrific idea: because this is their best environment, they generally require less attention than many other plants. Quite a few also attract those important bees, butterflies, and birds who pollinate our plants. Finally, you’ll feel virtuous because you’re helping to protect those native varieties in the face of invasive plants that usurp important areas. Dune Sunflower, Walter’s Viburnum, Wild Coffee, and Simpson’s Stopper are a few of our currently available natives.

Door prizes will be awarded hourly on the half hour. Shoppers must schedule an appointment in advance by calling 863-402-6540 Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Early arrivals may not enter before 9. COVID safety protocols will be observed. Please bring your mask and maintain social distances of 6 feet.

The Bert J. Harris Agriculture Center is located at 4509 George Blvd. in Sebring. Hope to see you there!