Tree and shrub sale to benefit conservation

Florida — Orange County Soil and Water Conservation District is holding its annual tree and shrub seedling sale. Proceeds will help support innovative educational activities offered by the district. The district is offering low-cost tree and shrub seedlings, and a variety of wildlife products for sale. All the planting stock comes with bare roots. They are not potted nor balled in burlap, but wrapped in moist packing material only. This is a method of distributing large numbers of trees, shrubs and ground cover at low cost. Some seedlings and transplants range up to four feet tall. The larger trees are being sold in packs of five. Also on sale are ground cover for sun or shade, fertilizer tablets, wildflower seed mixes, and new this year, perennial summer flowering bulbs and rain garden variety packs. Summer Flowering Bulbs, mix-n-match with a minimum order of 10 bulbs, include: Crocosmia Emily McKenzie, Emberglow and George Davidson; Lilium Pumilum, Centerfold and Dizzy; Foxtail; and Calla Lilies. Rain Garden Variety Packs, all native plants suitable for rain gardens, offer two different packs: the Sun Garden Pack with two each of White Turtlehead, Cardinal Flower, Blue Lobelia, Button Bush, and Spice Bush; and the Shade Garden Pack with two each of Blue Lobelia, New York Fern, Rose Mallow, Cinnamon Fern, and Arrowwood. Also available are: bat barracks to attract the furry guys who eat pesky bugs, bluebird and deluxe bluebird boxes; wren houses, hawk nesting boxes, wood duck boxes, bird feeders and butterfly bungalows. Orders must be received by Thursday, April 13. Seedlings will be distributed from 1 to 4 p.m. on Friday, April 21, and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 22, at Pillmeier Produce Farms in Florida. Those who miss the order deadline can shop that weekend, as extras will be on sale. To place orders, call 343-1873, write to chris.hopmayer@ocsoil.org or visit www.ocsoil.org.