Virtual auction by state Master Gardeners is set

This year’s Master Gardeners virtual auction will allow shoppers to support beautification and landscape projects across Arkansas and find bargains.

The virtual auction is open until 4 p.m. May 20. Bidders can preview the auction items and register to bid at https://county76auction.uada.edu.

The auction is part of the annual Master Gardener State Conference taking place May 19-21 at Springdale.

Proceeds from the auction support the Janet B. Carson County Scholarship Fund, which awards funds to counties for innovative and educational projects and provides scholarships to college-bound high school students. Proceeds also help offset the cost of the Master Gardeners annual leadership conference.

“We have a good assortment of garden-themed decor, artwork, gift cards to Arkansas restaurants and nurseries and some very unique experiences,” said Susan Colles, president of County 76, the statewide advisory group for the Arkansas Master Gardener program.

Bidding on some auction items is available only to conference attendees, while bidding on other items is open to anyone. Some auction items include:

■ Arkansas State Parks gift certificate for two nights’ lodging;

■ Lunch and tour for two at P. Allen Smith’s Moss Mountain Farm;

■ Gift cards to The Grumpy Rabbit restaurant at Lonoke;

■ Flower arranging party for 10;

■ FLY ARH gift certificate;

■ Hand-painted rain barrel; ■ Beehive;

■ Celtic Knot garden bench;

■ Walk-in greenhouse and raised bed kit.

Winning bidders can pick up their items at the Holiday Inn Convention Center on May 20, from 8:30-9:30 p.m. or May 21 from 7-8 a.m. If the bidder is not able to pick up items, they will be contacted to make other arrangements, according to the release.

The Arkansas Master Gardeners program, part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, is the state’s largest horticulture volunteer and education organization with more than 3,000 volunteers across the state. The volunteers are involved in hundreds of gardening and landscaping projects that benefit public schools, community centers, community gardens, courthouses, historical sites, parks and more. Last year, the Master Gardeners volunteered more than 100,000 hours.

For more information about the Master Gardener program in Arkansas, visit www.uaex.uada.edu/master-gardeners. To learn more about other extension programs in Arkansas, contact a local Cooperative Extension Service agent, visit uaex.uada.edu or follow the agency on Twitter at @ AR_Extension.