
By Kay Whatley, Editor
It’s garden time in North Carolina. Trees, shrubs, bulbs, plants, and seeds can go into the ground in April. Local garden clubs and gardens are holding plant sales, giving area residents opportunities to purchase annuals, perennials, native plants, and more, often at reasonable prices. Proceeds support the gardening clubs, public gardens, and master gardener programs.
Check out the spring plant sales listed below, taking place in Franklin, Johnston, Wake, and Wilson counties.
Ed. Note: If we’ve missed a public plant sale, email and let us know.
Bunn Garden Club Plant Sale
Saturday, April 14, 2018 @ 8-11:30am
Held by the Bunn Garden Club, 361 NC Hwy 98 West, Bunn NC. The Bunn Garden Club annual plant sale offers a wide variety of plants to brighten up your yard and garden.
The group will also be selling baked goods as a part of this fundraiser.
Updates may be posted on the club’s Facebook page.
Soil Trotter’s Spring Plant Sale
Saturday, April 14, 2018 @ 8am-3pm
Soil Trotters will be offering a variety of perennials, house plants, and edibles at reasonable prices. Support this nonprofit garden group, talk with the garden members, and choose from a long list of available plants.
Purchases at the sale may be made with cash or card. Held at the Clayton Farm and Community Market, 348 E Main Street, Clayton NC.
See more about this gardening group and its event at soiltrotters.org.
Johnston County’s Annual Master Gardener Plant Sale
Saturday, April 14, 2018 @ 8am-1pm
Plants grown by the Johnston County Master Gardeners will be on sale at the Clayton Community Center, 715 Amelia Church Road, Clayton NC.
Native plants, annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs, house plants, and more will be on sale at reasonable prices. There will also be a selection of trees and shrubs grown by local nurseries, and handmade crafts and garden art.
Proceeds from the sale help fund the Johnston County Extension Master Gardeners Volunteer Association outreach and educational programs. See events.johnstoncounty.today.
Knightdale FFA Spring Plant Sale
Saturday, April 21, 2018 @ 8-11am
Knightdale FFA (Future Farmers of America) will have veggie plants, herbs, hanging baskets, porch-ready planters, and annuals available for purchase. All the plants were grown by Knightdale High School students. Funds raised will support the Knightdale FFA.
This plant sale will be held at Knightdale High School, 100 Bryan Chalk Lane, Knightdale NC.
Knightdale FFA updates may be posted to their Facebook page.
Wilson Master Gardeners’ Spring Plant Sale
Saturday, April 14, 2018 @ 9am-noon

Held at the Wilson Botanical Gardens, 1806 Goldsboro Street SW, Wilson NC, this Spring Plant Sale will offer a variety of vegetable plants, herbs, annuals, perennials, house plants, trees, shrubs, garden gloves, and more. Purchases help to support the gardens.
Plants are grown by Extension Master Gardeners in their greenhouse, in garden members’ yards, and in the yards of friends all around Wilson NC.
Want early admission? Become a Wilson Botanical Gardens member and join us at the pre-sale 8:30am. Membership levels may be found in this PDF from the Wilson Botanical Gardens website.
Other NC Plant Sales
- JC Raulston Arboretum Plant Sale — April 7, 2018 @ 9am-4pm — Raleigh NC
- Sarah B Duke Gardens Spring Plant Sale — Saturday, April 7, 2018 @ 8am-noon — Durham NC
- Raleigh Garden Club Spring Plant Sale — April 26-28, 2018 — Raleigh NC
Did You Know?
NC schools, municipalities, public universities, nonprofits, and state/federal government agencies are able to order native plants that are tended by state inmates? NC Wildlife’s “WISe” program (Wildlife Inmate Services) at the Dan River Prison Work Farm, Yanceyville NC (Caswell County), teaches inmates horticulture. They raises plants for sale to those specific agencies, and are online at ncwildlife.org/WISE.
Their beautiful native plants brochure is here (PDF). Plants cannot be purchased by private citizens or businesses.
Ed. Note: Updated April 5 with additional plant sale.