The Natural Resources Council’s yearly tree sale takes place inthe National Guard Armory on Highway 84 Thursday morning startingat 7:30. And some gardening enthusiasts think nothing says lastinglove more than a tree.

“If you’re someone like me, when someone gives you a dozenroses, I think about how I could have bought half a dozen bushesfor that money,” joked Lynn Richardson, a tree sale volunteer.

The tree sale, which Richardson said she and her husband Homerhave been helping with for at least 16 years, will have trees ofall sorts at affordable prices. The trees run from one dollar tofive dollars, and tree enthusiasts can also pick up a free loblollypine simply for stopping by the sale.

Richardson said the 33 different kinds of trees are sold inmanageable sapling sizes, but they grow quickly.

“They grow fast, and they’re healthy,” she said. “These treesare hard to kill. They’re bulletproof trees.”

Some kinds grow faster than others, of course, but she said someof the trees she bought last year are already filling outnicely.

“The crepe myrtles bloom the next year,” she said. “And theBradford pear is a fast grower, too.”

According to the council’s newsletter, Richardson said, therewill be over 6,000 trees at the sale, and there’s something foreveryone.

“The deer hunters love the sawtooth and cherrybark oaks,” shesaid. “Well, actually, the deer love those.”

The sale goes on until the trees are gone. Richardson said.They’re usually all gone by noon, and tree lovers are not shy aboutshowing up early.

“At 7:30, there’s usually a long line at the door … “Richardson said. “Then we go until we’re out of trees.”