This time of year is the time to stop and smell the roses -- literally.

Although the charitable service organization operates year-round, Green Tree Garden Club members are putting their green thumbs to use during this peak season.

With their gardens in bloom, the group of horticulture aficionados -- with at least 50 members total from Green Tree and surrounding neighborhoods -- held its annual "Spring 'n Things" fundraiser last weekend.

Garden club members brought a vibrant array of prized flowers, plants, hanging baskets and growing greens from their gardens for the sale.

A bake sale, "gently used treasure" sale and a Chinese auction added to the day's festivities.

"The garden club is a wonderful way to learn about gardening, make good friends and be involved in the community," says club president Lyn Decker, a member since 2002.

"We went from being a club that runs from September to June, to being a club that runs from January through December. We switched our calendar year to take advantage of having more trips, more speakers and being able to get together over the summer. "

This year, the garden club is hosting a garden tour on June 14 for the first time.

The tour of community gardens is in conjunction with Green Tree Library. The event will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets are $12.

"We have a bamboo garden on the tour, which is very unusual," Decker says.

"We're using our portion of the money raised to increase our horticulture scholarship fund for area students and to purchase birdhouses for our public gardens."

The library's portion of funds generated from the garden tour will purchase "Playaways," which are hand-held preloaded MP3 players for use with electronic books.

On the tour, plant lovers will visit 12 different gardens, including that of Green Tree mayor Vincent Abbato and the club's own garden.

Garden club members, who range in age from their 20s to their 90s, maintain a perennial garden in Green Tree municipal center's park.

"There are all kinds of flowers and plants in a variety of colors. It's a good place to go to see what's in bloom at different times of the year," Decker says.

The Garden Club also decorates the inside of the borough building and police department with seasonal arrangements, as well as contributing to Green Tree Rotary's blooming flowerpot

Phyllis Abinati, a Green Tree resident for 42 years, has been a garden club member since its inception more than 30 years ago.

"My enthusiasm has just grown and grown ever since then. From attending meetings, I've just learned so much. It's a wonderful group," she says.

Abinati grew up in the City of Pittsburgh and had no physical yard to speak of until she got married.

"I moved to Green Tree and I've been nutty about gardening ever since. It's one of my passions."

"I have over 100 perennials in my yard. I enjoy sharing plants from my garden with other members. It's my joy to share with them now. When I started, the older ladies with established gardens would share their plants. It's been a real learning experience. I'd recommend it to anybody."

Green Tree Garden Club meets the second Thursday of each month at 11 a.m., at Green Tree Fire Hall.

Each meeting includes lunch and a gardening-related program.

Tickets for the upcoming garden tour are on sale now at Green Tree Library. For more information on Green Tree Garden Club, visit www.greentreeboro.com/gardenclub.html on the Web.