The Board of Directors of the Brownwood Area Community Garden invites gardeners and plant lovers to the Garden for a Pre-Spring Plant Sale, Saturday, March 5 from 9 a.m. – 12 noon.  The Garden is located off of Dublin Street inside the Brownwood Housing Authority Park Homes, and behind the Central Texas Opportunities office.  The sale will feature two useful and easy-to-grow additions for any yard:  garlic chives and aloe vera.

Aloe vera is a favorite folk medicine plant, used to treat burns, bites, inflammation, and other ailments.  It is a succulent that needs little water, and can be easily grown in containers, so it can be moved to protect it from frost.  1 gallon containers will be $5.

Garlic chives (allium tuberosum) are neither garlic, nor true chives.  Like other alliums, they make an excellent perennial companion for most vegetables, are drought and shade tolerant, and feature edible leaves and flowers.  They bloom in the hottest part of summer, giving beauty and attracting beneficial insects.  1 quart containers will sell for $5 each, 2 for $8, or 3 for $10.

The Garden is also still leasing raised beds.  Applications are available at the Brownwood Public Library, or at www.brownwoodgarden.org.   The Garden is a non-profit organization, donating produce to feed those in need, leasing space and teaching and training organic gardeners.  Visit or volunteer at the Garden any 2nd or 4th Saturday from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., or watch the Garden grow on Facebook.  For more information, call 641-9029.

Pictured above are the Board of Directors of the Brownwood Area Community Garden, from left:  Jen McBroom, President; Cary Perrin, Treasurer; Dottie Engle, Secretary;  Suzanne Ferraro, Vice-President; Susan Parsons, Linda Emison, Gary Loomis.  Not pictured:  Daniel Graham, Garden Coordinator.