Silvis' annual Garden Club Walk and Sale has grown so much in popularity over the years that customers are waiting in line when doors to the sale open.

"It's like a Macy's rush at Christmas," said former club president Tom Phipps.

But each customer means more money for club projects, including creation of an educational greenhouse, beautification of Silvis and surrounding areas and master gardener training.

The sixth annual sale and walk will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. It will begin at the tennis courts in Schadt Park on 4th Avenue and 12th Street, where hundreds of plants will be for sale.

Admission to the walk is $5. Donations also are accepted.

Each walk participant will receive directions to gardens throughout the community. Arrows will be posted along the route to help people find the gardens, where master gardeners will be on hand to answer questions.

Some of the gardens belong to club members, some don't. But all are maintained by homeowners eager to show what they have done with their yards.

Mr. Phipps said the fact that the gardens are created and maintained by amateurs, and not professional landscapers, makes the walk more inspirational and helpful.

"You get to go look at gardens and get ideas. You see commercial ideas from landscapers and they're kind of pricey, but if you go to someone's yard you can see something that's really doable without a great amount of expense."

The plants that will be for sale are donated by the more than 70 members of the Silvis Garden Club. They include perennials, vegetables and grasses.

Club president Kathy Hall said people often have better luck with locally grown plants as opposed to ones purchased in a store. "They grow well because they are from members' gardens and have acclimated to the climate. If you went to a nursery, you don't know where they've grown."

In addition to the plant sale, gardening supplies, decorations and gift certificates will be raffled.

The proceeds will be used to fund educational efforts, master gardener training and the greenhouse the organization hopes to build near Optimist Pond in Silvis.

So far, the club has about $35,000 put aside for the greenhouse, which will cost more than $50,000. The club hopes to bring in $2,000 from the walk and sale.

Club member Betty Phipps said people look forward to the event each year. "People really like visiting the gardens and they love the plant sales. Different people say they always come to ours because the prices are so reasonable."