Planting a tree can help the Earth. Buying it from the seventh annual A-Day weekend plant sale Friday and Saturday can help a horticulture student pay for college.
The Auburn chapter of PLANET, a horticulture student organization, and Campus Club partner every year to help raise money for an endowment that funds Campus Club's First Ladies Scholarships in Horticulture program as well as travel expenses for PLANET competitions.
The sale is located at the parking lot on the corner of Samford Avenue and South College Street.
Plants will be available Friday from 9 a.m. until sunset, and the sale will last from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.
Growers around the state as well as the horticulture department have donated hundreds of different types of plants, including annuals, perennials, shrubs, groundcovers, trees, herbs, vegetables and sod.
Mary Lou Matthews, co-chair of the Campus Club, said the most expensive plants are usually priced at about $50.
"It's a really wide variety," said Amy Wright, associate professor of horticulture and PLANET adviser.
Buyers can also ask questions about plants or their landscaping needs.
"There should be plenty of students out there working--and faculty--so lots of people available to answer questions about the plants themselves," Wright said. "So if someone were looking for a plant for a particular spot in their yard, there'll be people there that can help them make that selection."
The First Ladies scholarship honors the University presidents' wives and benefits horticulture students.
Last year, the plant sale raised $54,000, Matthews said.
"We have raised altogether in the neighborhood of about $300,000 for the First Ladies scholarship," Matthews said.
"At this point, we are doing 15 $1,000 scholarships a year, and there are a total of 18 first ladies, so we want to continue to raise money so that we can get everybody at least $1,000, and then when we reach that goal, we will increase the annual amount that everybody gets."
In addition to funding scholarships, PLANET benefits from the sale as well.
The members of PLANET take a trip to a national competition, where they compete in events related to horticulture, and the funds from the plant sale cover the club's expenses.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
