Free Trees and Plants

My mom comes across some pretty cool websites, but I think this is one of the best.

Have you ever wondered what happens to all the plants, shrubs, and trees that don't get purchased each year? You guessed it - they get thrown away. They end up in landfills all over the country. Cheryl Richter founded Free Trees and Plants to deal with the issue of unused plants and to provide jobs to people with disabilities.

The process is simple. They give away plants to anyone who will send shipping and processing. All plants are shipped dormant and bare-root, just like most catalog stock.

Shipping and processing covers the cost of:

digging
washing
inspection
transportation
size sorting
unit grouping
hydro dipping
packaging labor
packaging materials
labeling
addressing
postal sorting
and postage to your door.

Every step is done manually. Shipping and processing is only $7.95 per unit. Some catalogs appear to charge less for shipping and handling, but they include part of the cost in the price of the plants.

You get free plants. You help stop a huge waste. Workers with disabilities get meaningful work and a paycheck.

They have a huge selection of perennials, trees, shrubs, and even bulbs. They have lots of items that are native to my area, so mom is going to get some to add to the garden. Like my mom always says, you have a choice when you shop, so choose wisely.