Herbs and plants filled the Nature Room at the North Carolina Estuarium as the Washington Garden Club hosted its annual herb sale Saturday.

The club’s fundraiser showcased a variety of herbs, including borage, lavender, basil, oregano, tansy and verbena, to name a few. The herbs for the sale were purchased from Dorita Boyd of Raindrop Farms in Washington, according to Eleanor Broderick, event chairperson.

The sale not only serves as a way for the club to support its programs and civic beautification through area gardens, but it also promotes gardening among residents, as well as healthy eating, according to Broderick.

“It’s kind of promoting people doing their own gardening,” Broderick said. “The other thing along that vein is the fact that so many of the herbs are herbs that are put into foods like salads. We try to encourage healthy eating so these herbs will enhance salads and soups and other foods. (The event) is another way to get people to eat more healthy.”

Broderick said the money raised via the herb sale is the main source of funding to support area gardens such as Harding Square, the Brown Library Garden and gardens at both the Grace Martin Harwell Senior Center and corner of Market Street. The group also contributes to the Elizabethan Gardens in Manteo.

Currently, the club is redesigning the Brown Library Garden by pulling weeds and some plants, as well as trimming the arbor above the bench in the garden facing U.S. Highway 17, according to Broderick.

“It’s just time to redesign (Brown Library Garden) and just make it look prettier and move things around. (The sale) is definitely important,” Broderick said. “It’s for the beautification of Washington. The gardens are an absolute delight for people, and it enhances the look of downtown Washington.”

Broderick said the club meets the second Tuesday of every month, from September to June, where it hosts different programs and speakers. With people from up north frequently moving down to Beaufort County, the club aids in closing the gap between gardening knowledge in the area versus the knowledge of gardening up north, Broderick said.

“It’s different gardening than we had in the north,” Broderick said. “You have the expertise of residents here who’ve been growing for years.”