Mercer Botanic Gardens, badly damaged during Hurricane Harvey, is now open to the public and plans a grand reopening along with its annual plant sale on Saturday, March 17.

“Mercer staff have worked hard to recover plants in preparation for our grand reopening,” Mercer Interim Director Jim Nutter said in a news release. “Even if you’re not in the market for new plants, we encourage you to see how renovations are progressing.”

The park plans a longterm rebuilding project to prevent major flooding damage in the future.

The plant sale will be the first event at the reopened park since the gardens closed during Hurricane Harvey flooding last year. There is no admission charge to attend the event, which features plants such as tropical gingers, Gulf Coast natives and butterfly-attracting flowers.

Vendors with tropicals, ferns and carnivorous plants will also be selling at the event, park officials said.

The March Mart plant sale began as an annual event in 1974 and acts as a fundraiser for The Mercer Society, the garden's nonprofit partner. Future work on the gardens will require The Mercer Society to purchase an adjacent 24 acres of land.

The event will be held from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at 22306 Aldine Westfield Road, Humble. 713-274-4160. www.hcp4.net/community/parks/mercer