Less than seven years ago, Odette Pollar moved to Oakland’s Lakeshore neighborhood, but she already knows more people than most folks do after decades.

Several years ago, Pollar decided to dig up and redo her backyard. She had plants she didn’t want, but didn’t want to throw away. She asked her neighbors to take some and they gave her others in return.

Pollar, a time management specialist who wanted to meet the rest of her neighbors, got an idea. She organized a plant exchange that October, in 2007, and then again in March. It’s been growing ever since.

The first time she tried it, Pollar said she was so worried folks would find nothing to exchange that she trekked up to Grizzly Peak to dig up a 10-foot-tall pine tree to haul home. She needn’t have worried. Ninety-five people showed up that first Saturday and brought every kind of plant with them.

The most recent exchange involved 300 garden-loving folks, yard art and sculpture, two plant experts and at least 20 volunteers. Pollar said she couldn’t do it without the volunteers.

On Saturday March 27, she’ll welcome volunteers to help out at 3811 Lakeshore Ave. Set-up shifts start at 9 a.m. The sale goes from noon to 4 p.m. and by 5:15 whoever’s left will finish up over shared pizza.

Because Pollar is by trade an efficiency expert, things run smoothly. There’s a welcome table, plant runners, table monitors to answer questions, and an exit table to make sure you know what you got. Her immediate neighbors are now involved and give over their driveways for drop off and pick up. Since the exchange takes place on the wide, quiet part of upper Lakeshore, there is plenty of room to maneuver.

Pollar begins to gather and store plants a few weeks ahead and said she gets a lot of help from Art and Tom at the Grand Lake Ace Hardware and Nursery. They donate homeless plants, paint for her many signs and lots of other little goodies.

Pollar said she spends about $100 to copy flyers and buy water for volunteers, and donates 40 hours of her time to prepare. She said she welcomes anyone who would like to assist in these tasks.

She accepts more than plants at the exchange. Numerous other items, such as stepping stones, trellises, pots and goldfish, are also welcome. That’s because one year she got some Koi to exchange.

While the event is free, everyone must bring something to exchange. Her online flyer includes a long list of plants from roses to cacti (which is what I plan to take).

When asked why she does it, Pollar said, “I have met more people in my neighborhood than I would have imagined and I like tradition. People now wait to do their yards (for the exchange).”

She has met gardeners from as far away as Pacifica and Marin at her house during the exchange, but doesn’t know how they heard about it. This year Clear Channel recorded her announcement to play on many of its local channels for March 27 event.

Besides more volunteers what does she want to propagate for the future?

“Well,” she said, “I hope people take the idea and start it in their neighborhood as well.”

Pollar said she wonders how folks might take the exchange idea one step further. How could we, for example, go about exchanging some of that junk piled in kitchen cabinets or crowding up our counters? If you’re not using your fondue pots and blenders, who might use them (full disclosure, I love fondue parties) and what do they have that you want?

If you give Odette Pollar your email, she promises to put you on her plant exchange list but not to bombard you with any other information, because, as she says, “Gardening people are nice.”

For more information, e-mail plantexchange510@gmail.com or call 310-866-8482.