Row upon row of plants made a colorful and fragrant array of temptation for students and staff at the environmental horticulture program’s plant sale April 20. Although the event is never publicized outside SRJC, it was busy with customers eager to buy the plants grown from seed to flower by SRJC students.

“We’ve done extremely well as a fundraiser,” said Kathy Lee, a horticultural student who worked at the plant sale. The sale relies on word of mouth and support from SRJC staff to attract customers, and it works.

“I just walked by on campus and saw the signs,” said SRJC student Silvia Andrade, a first time visitor to the plant sale.

Proceeds from the sale go to both the environmental horticulture program and the Horticulture Book Scholarship. “It’s part of the program, teaching the students all about how to take care of them, how to grow them from the soil on up to the flowers,” Lee said. “They teach you everything.”

Along with many classes, the program offers a variety of certificates and four associate degrees. Students can learn to run their own nursery, work as part of a larger company or be garden designers, among other things.

“Personally I have a lot of successful experience from all the things I learned from this program,” Lee said. “I actually have a business myself. Without this whole horticulture program I probably wouldn’t be where I’m at today. It’s a great program.”