News Photo by Temi Fadayomi Students from the Pied Piper transition class, ages 18 to 26, pose in the school’s greenhouse on Thursday. Pied Piper Schools will be holding their annual Greenhouse sale on May 10 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and May 11 from 9:00 a.m. to noon in the Pied Piper Greenhouse at 444 Wilson St. in Alpena.

ALPENA — Students at Pied Piper School get to show off their green thumbs and help people celebrate Mother’s Day weekend with their annual greenhouse sale on May 10 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and May 11 from 9:00 a.m. to noon in the Pied Piper Greenhouse at 444 Wilson St. in Alpena.

According to Pied Piper Paraprofessional Beth Lucas, the sale being on Mother’s Day weekend has been a Pied Piper tradition. This year’s sale will be the first full-scale sale that the school has held since COVID-19.

“The Pied Piper sale has always been on Mother’s Day weekend for years,” Lucas said. “We did do a small sale last year, but we pretty much doubled our plants this year. So, we’re hoping for a good turnout.”

Lucas says that the maintenance and growing of the plants for sale is handled almost exclusively by the pied piper students, specifically the transition students ages 18 to 26.

“We strive to have 90% student involvement,” Lucas said. “The plants here were either planted by seed, or by little plugs. All the students have planted everything, cared for them, and watered them. It’s been a great experience.”

The Pied Piper students involved this year expressed their excitement about the upcoming sale, as well as reflect on some of the difficult aspects of the gardening process.

“I just try to stay organized,” Pied Piper student Kobe Barrie said.

Lucas says she is happy with the work that the students have done and that she is hopeful that the event will do well.

“I’m hoping for another busy year,” Lucas said. “The kids come out and help with that. They have somebody taking the money, and they will help carry the product to the cars. They’re involved with it all.”

The flowers that will be up for sale according to Pied Piper are the following:

Petunias, geraniums, begonias, New Guinea impatiens, blazing fire, dahlias, vinca vine, calibrachoa, lantana, thunbergia, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and window boxes and decorative planters.

The event is cash and check only.