The plant sale is one of the most anticipated events at the Master Gardener Expo in Waxahachie. It is also one of the largest fundraisers for the Ellis County Master Gardeners. The Master Gardener Expo will be held on March 23, 2024, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Convention Center. But get there early if you want that prized plant because they go quick!
The plant sale will feature thousands of plants. You can find all types of plants from vegetables, herbs, patio, and landscape plants, including trees. Many times, you can find that hard-to-find plant you have been wanting! Plants are suited to thrive here in North Texas.
So, what does it take to put on a plant sale of this size? It takes lots of behind-the-scenes work! The plant-sale preparation starts months before the Expo. Many conference calls, meetings and emails occur in the planning. The plant sale is spearheaded by Gayle Johnston and Jackie Milan. They organize an army of Master Gardener volunteers, and these volunteers split into different committees to ensure the success of the sale. One group is assigned to purchase plants from various plant wholesalers around North Texas, and this group is led by Jackie Milan who is responsible for plant procurement. They travel to the vendors and inspect plants to determine if they meet the quality standards for the plant sale. They also must make sure that these plants will be mature enough to be sold by the time they are delivered the day before the sale. Additionally, they are responsible for negotiating the price for plants before purchase to be able to offer the best price for our community.
Gayle Johnston is responsible for the layout of the sale. Once she receives a list and sizes of plants that will be offered, she then determines the layout and traffic patterns and where plants will be located and grouped. She also determines the number of tables that will be needed.
The plants are delivered the day before the Expo and start arriving early in the morning. Prior to bringing the plants into the sale area, plastic sheeting must be laid down to protect the floors of the convention center, and tables must be set up. Also, piping and drapes must be hung around the tables. The plants then must be labelled with the name and any information about the plant.
On Expo Day, the customer lines start forming early in the morning. There are cashiers and about 12-15 volunteers to work on the floor. They provide plant information to the customers and answer questions that the customers may have. They also help in locating a particular plant for a customer.
After the Expo closes, there is still work to be done! Everything needs to be broken down and cleaned up at closing. The volunteers spend a few hours ripping up the plastic and sweeping up dirt on the floors. They also wipe down all the tables and restore the convention center back to its original condition. At the end of the day, we have a group of exhausted volunteers. But all the hard work pays off with the satisfaction of knowing that the Ellis County Master Gardeners are providing the community with quality plants at a good price!
by Angie McKune, ECMG Intern