Plant lovers will have the chance to add something a little different to their gardens when the Eastern Bay of Plenty Bromeliad and Orchid Group holds its annual fundraising sale this weekend.

The sale will feature hundreds of plants, with bromeliads the main attraction alongside a limited selection of orchids, air plants and succulents. Prices start at $5, with the event running from 8.30am to noon on Sunday at 3 Douglas Street, Whakatāne.

Joint presidents Wendy Kingsbury and Carol Gee said the group had about 70 people on its mailing list, bringing together people who shared an interest in growing, swapping and selling plants.

The group has been running for about 26 years, with members regularly visiting gardens and nurseries to learn from other growers. The upcoming event will be the group’s third plant sale.

Money raised will go towards the group’s activities, including afternoon tea at meetings and trips to visit gardens and specialist growers.

Earlier this month, 12 members travelled to Auckland for a three-day visit, exploring seven private gardens and two nurseries belonging to some of New Zealand’s experienced bromeliad growers and hybridisers.

Kingsbury said bromeliads were popular with enthusiasts because they were relatively easy to care for and came in a wide variety of shapes, colours and sizes.

Some produced tall flower spikes, while others had smaller, distinctive blooms. Many also produced new plants, known as pups, which growers could separate from the parent plant and pot up for sale.

Bromeliads can also grow attached to trees or pieces of driftwood rather than being planted in soil.

The group hope the sale will encourage more people to get involved, with visitors welcome to ask about joining.

Kingsbury said people who became interested in bromeliads often found the hobby addictive, with the variety of plants keeping growers coming back for more.

Cash and bank transfers will be accepted, but there will be no EFTPOS. Buyers are encouraged to arrive early as plants can sell quickly.

For more information about joining the group, contact Wendy Kingsbury on 027 475 9861.