As Robert Glein realized he could no longer care for his heritage garden on his property in Marysville the way he had grown accustomed, he wanted to be sure they would be preserved and enjoyed by others after he was gone.

Glein, a longtime Marysville physician, agreed to donate the bulk of the mature rhododendrons and azaleas on his 2.5 acres to Meerkerk Gardens in Greenbank.

The public will get a chance to purchase some of the more 200 mature plants from Glein’s garden during Meerkerk Gardens’ 2015 season-opening nursery sale this weekend.

Plants as large as 9 feet will be for sale during an event that will be open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at 3531 Meerkerk Lane, which is off Resort Road.

Entrance to the gardens is free during special sales.

Glein, who passed away in December of 2013 at the age of 88, had a collection that included a mature deciduous azalea known as “Orangeade,” which will bloom bright orange flowers.

Plants are priced from $14 to $500.

The sale also will include plants of various sizes grown at Meerkerk as well as some from other suppliers.

Well-known Freeland hybridizer Frank Fujioka brought in a truckload of rhododendrons Thursday that he grew on his property for the sale.

Susie Reynolds, nursery manager at Meerkerk, said rhododendrons and azaleas are hardy plants that are easy to transplant.

She said that Meerkerk was fortunate to benefit from the generosity of Glein. She said only part of his collection has made it to Greenbank so far with more plants coming in the future.

“He had made a wish to us in 2010, stating that he was getting older and he couldn’t care or his garden and would we like them?” Reynolds said. “Then he made us a complete chart. He divided his property, 2.5 acres, into sections. He listed and numbered every single rhododendron and azalea on this place. So, I’ve got a record of it. I know what a lot of these are and he tagged them so it’s really, really easy.

“If people want instant landscaping, this is the way to go.”