From azaleas to exotics, here are 7 plants sales in and around Raleigh to consider in April.
by WALTER Staff

Spring has arrived in full force, bringing much-appreciated warmer weather and blooming flowers to our neighborhoods. If you’re ready to refresh your yard, consider one of these spring plant sales in the Triangle. There is a wide selection of sales to choose from, some benefitting worthy causes or connected to horticulture research. Whether you are looking for perennials, trees, shrubs, ferns, fruits and vegetables, or a simple houseplant, these sales have it all — and if you’re not ready for in-person, many allow you to shop online and then sign up for no-contact pickup. Here are 7 Raleigh area plant sales to consider this month.

J.C. Raulston Arboretum Plant Sale

The J.C. Raulston Arboretum annual plant sale (online this year) is now open to members. It will open to the public on Monday, April 12 and will close on Monday, April 19 at 3 p.m. The garden, a part of N.C. State University, is nationally acclaimed and collects and evaluates samples in order to determine the optimal plants for the piedmont of North Carolina. This will be their biggest plant sale yet, with over 300 different plants including new selections and returning favorites (think peonies, iris, flowering shrubs, shade garden, and deer-proof plants like ferns and Illicium.) On Saturday, April 24, there will be many small plants for sale on-site at the arboretum. While this plant sale might only be temporarily in the month of April, don’t miss the plant buggy that is located outside the Bobby G. Wilder Visitor Center Monday through Friday 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., selling different varieties of unusual plants each week (most for $5 or $10, cash and check only). 
4415 Beryl Road, Raleigh, NC 27606 | J.C. Raulston Arboretum Plant Sale

UNC Charlotte Botanical Garden Spring Plant Sale

UNC Charlotte Botanical Garden spring plant sale is now live online and will end on April 12 at 5 p.m. The sale will include azaleas, bog plants, fruit plants, ferns, hostas, native and non-native perennials, trees and shrubs, tropicals, annuals, succulents, and vines. Once you have ordered there will be a signup to choose your time for contact-free pickup. In addition, the UNC Charlotte Botanical Garden is offering a wide variety of online classes in the next few months. Learn about sustainability in gardening, pollinators native to North Carolina, vegetable gardening, and evening botanical drawing!
UNC Charlotte Botanical Garden Spring Plant Sale

North Carolina Botanical Garden Plant Sale

This plant sale on UNC Chapel Hill’s campus will be open daily starting on April 6. The sale offers rotating varieties of southeastern native plants grown at the nursery including native wildflowers, trees, shrubs, and ferns. All of the profits from the sale go to the North Carolina Botanical Garden, a nonprofit with the goal of educating the community on the importance of the conservation of plants and the sustainability of the earth’s resources. 
100 Old Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill | North Carolina Botanical Garden Plant Sale 

Backyard Treasures Plant Sale

This plant sale in Durham has a selection of perennials, vegetables, herbs, trees, shrubs, and houseplants all of which are grown by Extension Master Gardener volunteers in Durham. Their Spring 2021 Plant Sale will open online starting on Tuesday April 6th at 9 a.m. for Durham County EMGVs only and then will be open to all from 9 a.m. on Wednesday April 7th to 5 p.m. on April 13th. Plant pickup will be curbside on Saturday April 17th from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. at North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Durham County Center. There will be sign-ups for different time intervals on the 17th to ensure social distance will be maintained. 
721 Foster Street, Durham, NC 27701 (pickup location following prior online order) | Backyard Treasures Plant Sale 

Gardeners of Wake County Azalea Plant Sale

Shop hundreds of varieties (including hard-to-find ones) of popular flowering bushes at the spacious Campbell Road Nursery for the Gardeners of Wake County’s annual Azalea Sale. The proceeds support scholarship grants for North Carolina State University horticulture students which has amounted to $10,000 to $20,000 in past years. “We exist to help the gardening community whether that’s expert home gardeners, beginners and even aspiring horticulture professionals,” says says nursery owner Phil Campbell. “This sale is the perfect partnership for us because our founder was a NC State horticulture professor himself.” Get there early — they often sell out. One varietal in particular — the Wolfpack Red, a traditional azalea developed by a horticulturist at NC State — tends to go quickly.  “As you can imagine, that one is very popular in this area. We sell close to 100 of these at the sale and this year we will be celebrating our 40th anniversary of the sale (a year late since they had to cancel last year) so we expect lots of people to be happy to come out and celebrate with us this year,” says Charlie Leverette with the Gardeners of Wake County. The Gardeners of Wake County Azalea Plant Sale will be held April 8 through 17 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in person with free admission.
2804 Campbell Road | Garden of Wake County Azalea Plant Sale    

Briggs Avenue Community Garden Plant Sale

Briggs Avenue Community Garden in Durham was started in 2010 as a public garden that was open to the community to apply to have a plot with the intention of helping low-income families have a regular source of fresh fruits and vegetables and to create a community of gardeners. There are now nearly 50 people with plots in the garden who grow their own plants and vegetables. Briggs Avenue Community Garden’s spring plant sale will be held on Saturday April 24th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Come out to support a very special community garden that is working to share a love of gardening and to provide fresh produce for those in need. 
1314 S. Briggs Avenue, Durham, NC 27707 | Briggs Avenue Community Garden  

Juniper Level Gardens Open Nursery Days

Juniper Level Gardens Open Nursery at Plant Delights south of Raleigh is open to the public eight weekends each year (twice a season) with no visited request required. The nursery includes a large selection of plants, trees, and shrubs that have attracted gardeners from all over. Some of their rare perennials cannot be found anywhere else in the world and their exotic plants are not to be missed. The two weekends for this spring will be the weekend of April 30 through May 2 and the weekend of May 7 through 9 — click here for the timing. 
9241 Sauls Road, Raleigh | Juniper Level Gardens Open Nursery Days     

P.S.  While you’re at it, check out this list of local nurseries to explore and a few ideas for yard work to do in April.