Horticulture society plant auction planned for May 19

Auctioneer Shelley Miller was busy auctioning off plants at last year’s Garden Auction and Sale. This year’s event is planned for May 19. (File Photo)

Jeff Helsdon, Editor

The Tillsonburg Horticultural Society’s annual Garden Auction and Sale is much more than a plant auction.

The annual event, planned for May 19 this year, will again be at the Lion’s Auditorium in the Tillsonburg Community Centre. The event features a bake sale with pies, tarts, cookies, and sandwiches made by members, plus the auction and plant sale.

Society president Christine Ngy said the event always attracts a good crowd, estimating attendance at 400 to 500.

Asked why it’s popular, she answered, “The whole package combined. We have a number of people who come through the doors, buy their plants at the plant sale table, and leave. Others stay for the auction, and some men come in, go straight to the bake table, and then leave.”

Nagy believes the auction is one of the big attractions, though. More than 200 items will be auctioned off by auctioneers Bev Burrill and his daughter, Shelley Miller. The auction is not just plants; there are also décor items donated by local businesses, auctioned off.

“There’s no more live auctions anymore, they’re all online,” she said. “It’s kind of fun to go to a live auction again.”

The interesting thing is that no one knows what the donations will be from the 100 local businesses that contribute to the event, or from the members.

“Every year is a different thing,” Nagy said of what garners the most attention in the auction. “We’re always surprised by what the donations can be from the membership. One year, a couple came in with dead roots from a bush that is used for décor, and they went for an amazing price.”

The plant sale features 300 to 400 plants donated by members, plus vegetables from local growers.

The Garden Auction and Sale is the society’s largest annual fundraiser of the year. It funds plants that society members use to beautify town gardens and planters on Broadway. They donated more than 1,200 hours combined for park beautification.

While there are regulars who attend, Nagy encouraged those who haven’t been to come.

“Anyone who comes the first time is agog at how much is happening and how well organized it is,” she said.