I think I paid cash but not sure about this year. They had lots of boxes. I did see someone pulling a wagon. I would do what I wanted to do. Get there early....parking could be an issue. You will be amazed at the crowds.

I want to go but will have to wait until closer to see.
I would have to leave the house by 7 AM to get there for the opening.

A lot of people bring wagons and many come with helpers so one shops while the other minds the wagon. There also will be wagons and people available to help you haul your buys to your car.
It is being held in and near the new Botanical Center on the west side. It has been held near the Japanese Garden for the past several years and parking was plentiful there. I think we can plan on doing some walking this year but it will be worth it
The daylily society will be having a sale the same day near the Botanical Center building, too.

Glenda, I got there in the afternoon the time I went and still found lots of things I liked. By the time I arrived they had reduced the prices to half. I would not stay away just because I couldn't get there early, but early would be better for more choice. I got a bunch and didn't bring anything to carry plants in; they had boxes. Somehow my friend who was waiting for me got cake for helping. I tell that story because he has a way of admiring cake and cookies; people he doesn't know offer him some.

Thanks. I doubt I'm getting there at opening. I'm not a morning person and am willing to miss out for sleep.

I called the Master Gardeners hotline and it's cash only.

I'll be bringing my camera will share the pics.

I always plan to get there at least 30 minutes before it starts so I can be closer to the front of the line, then my alarm clock goes off and I change my plan. : ) I think there must be some people that get there an hour ahead or more judging by how long the line is when I get there. Violet would know when people start lining up. Maybe she'll chime in. The plants go quickly. If you're looking for unusual stuff, you'll want to get there early.

In the past, they've had shade plants in one area, sun in another, a section with herbs, house plants, etc. Trees, shrubs and ornamental grasses were outside the tent. I'm anxious to see how it's set up this year since it's a new location. I hope they have more room now. Lots more.
Unless they've changed it, the plants will be down on the ground, not up on tables, so plan to do some bending which makes it somewhat hard to hold onto your stash especially if you have them in a shallow flimsy box.

They won't let people take wagons in under the tent because it would take up too much room. You have to park them out of the way, but if you leave them unattended, someone may think your plants are for sale and carry them off. Maybe it would help to stick a sold sign on your wagon if you don't have someone to help you watch it.

There's always stuff I've never even heard of and it's hard to decide what to get. It would be nice to be able to google some of the plants while you're there because there's not really a description like on plant tags at a nursery. It will just have the name of the plant.

Have fun!

Christie, you need one of those new fancy hand-held devices!

I want to go just to see what they have. I don't need any more plants but you know how that goes...............I have growing and doing well from the sale I went to:

Swamp Oak Tree, variegated Solomon's Seal, a native aster, two or three daylilies and my only hellebore.

My husband follows along with me and he gets to hold things. He will just be thrilled to be coming again!

Helen, the cake is a good idea...I will promise to bake something for my helper.

All I am really wanting now besides a certain daylily is a mock orange shrub, and the old-fashioned spirea for my front shrub border. I don't think they have shrubs...never seen any.

Thanks for that great description, Christie. That helps me plan my assault a lot better. :D I also generally have big plans until that alarm goes off.

I'm bringing a couple of reference books, but I should bring the Hubby's iPod since I can get online with it. Unfortunately I don't know how to use it and am too lazy to learn.

"Assault" is a good word for it. lol
I might trying bringing a baby stroller with a fake sleeping baby in it. I could load plants into the stroller. I'm joking. : D

Sale is a week from tomorrow by the way. The forecast on Weather.com says there's 60% chance of rain and they usually don't cancel for that. There will be a line of nutty people standing in the rain waiting to go under the tent.

Here is a link that might be useful: Green County Master Gardener Plant Sale

Hi teeandcee,

Excellent questions.

Q: Should I bring a wagon or something to haul plants in?
A: Yes, not too large so that they block walkways. Please be considerate of others trying to browse. They were not allowed specifically under tents as Christie said due to crowded space.

Q: Do they accept cards or do I need cash?
A: Cash Only.

The Daylily Society will NOT be selling plants this year. However the Springfield Watergarden Society, and a handful of other Park Partners will also be selling plants.

We usually close in the early afternoon. It depends on sales and weather.

Christie,
Some people start lining up at 6:30. Most start around 7:00. The sale starts promptly at 7:30 am Saturday.

gldno1,
I do believe we usually have shrubs, they're typically "outside the tent" but since there will not be a main tent, look for shrubs usually next to ornamental grasses.

teeandcee,
You won't want to be lugging round reference books. If you can search google images on your regular computer, you can do it on an iPhone or iPad. Same difference, different tool.

We've never cancelled a Master Gardener Plant Sale. We've had them rain or shine, and there have definitely been some in rain. This will be the 13th Annual Master Gardener Plant Sale hosted by Master Gardeners of Greene County.

See you Saturday!

I'll be there! I'm looking forward to it.

MASTER GARDENERS PLANT SALE & OTHER EVENTS AT THE BOTANICAL CENTER APRIL 30, 2011
News release, by Jeanne Duffey

"It's how I started my garden when I moved here 12 years ago," said Barbara St. Clair. Now president of the Master Gardeners of Greene County, St. Clair is enthusiastic about the group's annual plant sale to be held on Saturday, April 30, at the Springfield-Greene County Botanical Center, 2400 S. Scenic Ave.

Many of the hundreds of perennials and vegetables for sale are Master Gardener-grown plants gathered from the Xeriscape Garden on National Avenue and the Demonstration Garden at Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park. "These are successful plants, plants that our volunteer gardeners have thinned or divided from these two gardens," said St. Clair. Proceeds from the sale, chaired by Christy Jenkins and Mary Brown, benefit both public gardens.

Beginning at 7:30 a.m. rain or shine, the event attracts thousands of area gardeners. "People line up at the gates at 6:30 in the morning to get the best selection," said St. Clair. "Quantities are limited and we close down when we run out of plants. Most plants are priced from $2 to $5, and some extraordinary specimens are $20."

In addition to perennials and vegetables, the inventory includes house plants, herbs, bulbs, grasses, vines, ground covers, shrubs and trees, potted up and donated from Master Gardener gardens.

"Just a few days ago, I saw some beautiful variegated Solomon's Seal, a wonderful shade plant, potted up, and some Japanese anemone, an essential in a home garden that blooms in the heat of August," said St. Clair. For more information about the plant sale, call the Master Gardener Hotline at 417.881.8909.

After the sale at 11 a.m., the newly created Lois K. Boswell Memorial Library and the Robin Coulter Crabb-created stained glass in the Botanical Center atrium will be dedicated. The browsing and reference library is named in memory and honor of the mother of Friends of the Garden charter member Susan Boswell.

Master Gardeners is one of several nonprofits that partner with Friends of the Garden to fulfill its mission of inspiring the discovery, understanding and appreciation of nature by creating and maintaining the more than two dozen botanical gardens that dot the countryside of the 114-acre public park and arboretum in southwest Springfield.

Tax-deductible $25 annual memberships and contributions to the Friends of the Garden Growth and Maintenance Fund can be sent to P.O. Box 8566, Springfield, Missouri 65801. For more information, access FriendsoftheGarden.org, or call 417.891.1650.

Here is a link that might be useful: Learn More About the Botanical Center & Gardens