Does anyone grow any pasque flower? I just learned about this plant and would love to give it a try.
Swapping & Chatting Ric & Holly's Swap II
SSG, I'd like some sedum John Creech, too. I don't think I have that one.
Things are very casual at the swap. There is no end time it all depends on how far you travel and how much time you have to stay. Come and spend the day or just a few hours. I will put up a food thread soon. We ask that you bring a covered dish if you can but there is usually so much food that it is fine if you don't. Last time we had more food than we could have eaten in days. Don't be hesitant to bring extra plants if you have the room. There will be a few friends and family members that don't have access to the DG web site and people always see plants they want once they see them. If you bring plants that don't get picked up at the swap and you don't want to take them home I can always spread them around to some of my neighbors. The swap is as much about getting together to meet in person the people that you have only talked to on line or get to see old friends that you don't see often as it is the plants and food. Don't hesitate to come and you are welcome to bring guests, don't think you must have a lot of plants, just come and enjoy the fellowship and fun. It really is a great way for newer gardeners to start their gardens. If you talk to other DG members on other threads that live in the Mid-Atlantic area please let them know about the swap.
Oh there will be a gift table. Everyone that brings something puts their name in a pot and we draw names for them to take something. Nothing expensive. Just something gardening oriented, garden art, gloves, tools, pots, a special plant. You don't have to bring something for the gift table just people that want to participate bring a small item. I will probably find a few extras to put out as door prizes as well.
Sure, Holly! They're fantastic spreaders.
Jill, any update on the coleus co-op? It's so hard to walk by the coleus at the nursery and not grab a couple. :-)
Hello everyone. Have you been enjoying the rain???
I'll be updating my "promised" list this morning - here is what I have so far, let me know if I've missed anyone...
Donnerville - Baptisia 'Purple Smoke'
Coleup - Cimicifuga, Spiderwort
Chantell - Korean lilac
Critterologist - Phlox 'Katherine', Stachys 'Humelo'
Jan23 - Cimicifuga
Ecnalg - Cimicifuga, Baptisia 'Purple Smoke'
FlowAjen - hardy geranium color question - kind of a fuscia/purple color....
Next step is to look at all the goodies everyone is offering to make my list of "wants", how fun is this!
This message was edited Apr 23, 2012 8:00 AM
Ok, here goes for my list of "wants" pretty please:
Holly - campanula 'Pink Octopus', hellebores, chocolate mint
Sally - spiderwort 'lavender'
Donnerville - japanese anemone
Greenthumb - campanula 'Elizabeth', digitalis 'Foxy', 'Alba', 'Candy Mountain'
Ruby - sweet woodruff
Critterologist - Great Aunt Erma's lilac, Kenutcky Colonel spearmint
Coleup - Bleeding Hearts, white and/or pink
Jan23 - Siberian iris 'purple'
Buttoneer - Creeping Jenny
Got you Aspenhill
yay aspenhill, a fellow lover (tolerater?) of Spiderwort! You got it!
With the woodland setting, the more spiderwort the better :) Too bad the deer like them too. I had some blooming already - they looked good last week, but I walked around a bit on Saturday and noticed that the deer have already grazed them and the hosta - UGH. I've been contemplating a deer fence as my next investment once I recover from the kitchen remodel. I calculated about 2725 linear feet to enclose the original acreage around the house and pond - could be 'spensive' Lucy.... Is it worth it for getting rid of the spraying and other deer tactics that just don't seem to work??? It is so frustrating to anticipate the beautiful blooms and foliage, only to have them wiped out before you can really enjoy them.
Geez,,, have you thought/ tried the black mesh? 'hart said it worked well for her; that is broke their usual habits and they moved elsewhere. Not so much physicl, but they got creeped out by running into the nearly invisible stuff. I've heard the same about chicken wire layed on the ground. (lain? Laying? lied rofl?)
More the better eh?? ...
Coleup, I am so glad that some of the PP is going to a place where it will be enjoyed. I too have had it bloom in years past, and it is quite interesting then. It is always interesting I suppose, and could almost be called pretty when in bloom. The thing about the spindles on the cactus, it that they are impossible to see and until you are in to the job of handling it you don't realize what a booger it is. I haven't yet gotten the nerve to go back and finish working with what I dug the other day. It is on my porch waiting for me and leather gloves this time.
I really feel badly for those battling a deer population in their gardens. We have had a few issues in the past, but thankfully last year they seemed to leave us alone and the only pests that I have seen evidence of so far are Crocus eating silly wabbits. In fact, two evenings ago I saw a hare party taking place in the parking area of John's garage. They are really cute creatures but they too are very destructive to gardens.
Gita talks of her YUK garden, we have a plant hospital area near where the goats spend the summer months. John says the goats have been munching on some of the tops of Day Lilies there. For those of you who know me, you all would have gotten a real kick (not) out of me goat herding one night last week. I happened to be standing on the porch right at the edge of dark when Homer came walking up the drive way. I suppose he felt sorry for me being the only one at home at the time, and not knowing how the goats enter and leave the fenced area. He allowed me to work for some time trying to find an opening and he stood waiting for me to let him back inside. I was out without a cane for balance and had on soft bedroom slippers, so it was quite comical I suppose. If he had been head strong and wasn't willing to go back in as easily as he did, I would have been calling John to come home and tend his goats. Hope that he doesn't make a habit of getting out for sure.
Anyway......going to spend this rainy day indoors once again. I have plenty house plant tasks to keep me busy. Have a good one all.
Ruby
Sally, I too have a problem with typing the word you are having an issue with. I usually just type something and hope the person reading will understand what I am trying to say and won't judge me too harshly for being a dunce. In fifth grade I was a champion speller, but that is a talent which fell by the way side some years ago. hahaha
Ruby
I'm willing to try pretty much anything to deter them... And yes, the more the better hee hee hee. One or two plants of something looks wonderful in my closeup photos, but hardly makes an impact when viewing large expanses of emptiness in the large areas that I have. I'm all for things that can multiply and spread easily - what most people might consider "invasive" are more than welcome LOL. I was on a garden tour yesterday at four estates around the Middleburg area (yes, in the pouring rain - and no, I was not the only crazy garden lover out there!). All four of them had spiderwort a-plenty and they looked mighty fine.
Got your iris, Aspenhill.
The plants are very happy this morning after getting a good drink.
Would anyone like some catnip? I do have some I can share.
lol Ruby, remember that I am requesting one prickly pear pad on trial that's o n e
Aspenhill got you one the bleeding hearts and I thought you also requested an elephant ear from me. May also have located some wild white yarrow remind me.
along the lines of more, self seeds and easy care, Aspenhill and others I would shamelessly promote a plant I have available that I call "tovara". Other names are persicaria virginiana as it is native in this area. May work for part of your slope, Aspenhill. My plants to share are the common ones like in photo below, but there are fancy versions too.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persicaria_virginiana
Please anyone wiishing to try one let me know so I can pot them op. Have plenty to go around....
Also have available in limited supply ( can obtain more for cost of $5) also work well as house plants.
alocasia 'Freydek"
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/53065/
I can attest to Coleup's Tovara, I got one from her 2 years ago and it does indeed spread. Self-seeds freely.
lol Robin, another name for tovara is "jumpseed"!! Are you liking it? It is easy to pull up and doesn't travel too far from the source of seed and hasn't escaped my yard. etc. Seems to handle dry shade fairly well and even big old maple tree root competition. Anyway, it is green and reliable with no care.
I like growing it in a container as a fill in planter among more colorful pots of say, coleus. I like its little red flower spikes in the fall, too.
I got some of the tovara from Catbird at the swap last year, and it is alive and doing well but hasn't started to spread yet. I do like the foliage and coloring on this plant - it looks nice in the woodland. I have it where it gets some sun, so hopefully it will start spreading soon. Coleup, I'd gladly take a few more to start in different areas if you feel like bringing it.
I will have some Black Scallop Ajuga and will add this to my "haves" list.
Buttoneer - so glad you're coming! You'll have to bring any recent stone finds for me to drool over! ^_^ Might I beg the following off of you pretty please (you just have ALL kinds of good stuff - hope I'm not being greedy - I can try and root some sedums for you): Greater Celandine Poppy, Miniature Solomon's Seal, Confederate Violet
Speaking of Poppys - does anyone have access to those beautiful Orange/red ones that grow in the wild?
Tovara here too. I had two main plants at first (two years ago?) in one spot, Last spring I moved them to next to the base of a maple tree. THere's about eight inches wide of dirt there and then a rock border. The tovara instantly looked perfect there. I don't know what it was but the proportions, shading, whatever all, looked awesome. Happy and making babies.
Chantell- Flanders poppies? Annual I think, seeded usually...
ssgardener--pasque flower? not me, sorry.
Catbird,
Pat and I would love a couple of catnip plants if you can spare them. Actually, our Maine Coon Cat Boris would lovvve them. His catnip plant from last year did not revive the spring, and I think his regular attention was hard on it. My strategy is to have several plants so that his affections get spread around, rather than just one plant being his focus.
Sally, I call those poppies Shirley poppies , the ones the Vets sell on Memorial Day.
"In Flanders fields the poppies grow
Between the crosses, row on row"
Great report on Tovara shares and desendents Robin, Sally and Aspenhill! Maybe we can get Gita to try some under her maple tree where nothing will grow. Fun to get that right plant in the right place.
Also fun to try plants thaat are prolificesque in a variety of spots in our surrounds. I'm famous for sticking containerized plants in areas for (gulp, blush) a season or two before I actually plant it! So, Aspenhill you're on. Anyone else want to try Tovara? Someone has listed "persicaria Red Dragon" as a want....It is one of the fancy ones in the family, originating in China or India. Pics of red dragon below.
Gotta love those plant breeders!
My bucket list has one entry at the moment- get back to Rome and see these again
Wow, coleup, that alocasia 'Freydek" is gorgeous! I'd love one, please!
We also got some Tovara at the plant swap 2 years ago, and it is doing beautifully. Terri, I can give you a few volunteers. We did see a couple of them this spring in our woods, too.
Buttoneer, although it is not a variegated plant, it is 2-tone and you might enjoy some.
Do you have another Alocasia "Freydek" available for me too, Coleup?
I will probably have a couple of "Black Out" Lily bulbs available and maybe one or two others.
My Magic Fountain Delphinium seedlings are looking pretty good and should turn out looking like this:
Oh Roses I could definitely use Delphinium.
Two Freydek coming up (literally). It is not as tolerant of cool temps as my others imo but does well as a house plant if you want to keep it growing over the winter.
For two years I haven't heard any feedback on the tovara I sent to the swap so I figured you all didn't like it much...it is a sort of hohum plant. But now I find out it has been doin ok for all. Good to hear.
Another thing I'm finding out is that these plants on our swap lists this year could be 7, 8, even ninth generation ! Cool beans. Keep on swapping.
We are very happy with ours. I can never remember what it is called and refer to it as the V plant.
Well, I had a message that I was typing and I scrolled up to get the correct username of somebody and lost it..Coleup, I am hoping to come up..depends on the weather and DH's attitude and mood..I planted up some things to bring along and hope they haven't drown outside. I haven't heard of half of the plants you all have mentioned. I have plenty of seeds to bring along but don't know if they will germinate before them. My plants are fairly common..nothing like some of the ones you all mentioned.
Curious about something..what is the scoop on those colored bottles sitting on somebody's table? Are they for singing that drinking song, "99 bottles of beer on the wall, if one should fall, 98 bottles of beer on the wall, if one should fall, 97 and so forth." I thought maybe all this rain has you all drinking to the rainfall. LOL! Come 'on, don't tell me you don't don't know that old drinking song. We've had 3 in. since Saturday, the ground is saturated enough now, I wish it would stop but know we have no control over that.
Is somebody going to make rooting containers out of them? I pulled a page from a catalogue for 3 or 4 pretty rooting bottles, that you hang on a ceiling hook, for that purpose. I wanted to order them, but never have..Probably lost the page out of the catalogue I tore it out of. With my ADD, it could be anywheres! Probably on the other side of my bed, in the piles that I need to go through and file or discard..I just keep moving them from place to place, hoping they will reduce in size. LOL!
Christiane(Orchidfancy)showed me an Orangeina bottle that she thought would make a neat rooting container but it is clear, not colored. I don't think I have the name of that beverage product correct but you can probably figure it out.
OK Holly, I have you down for Delphinium.
Pippi, twas I using the bottles to sing 99 bottles of beer on the wall. When I was in grade school there was a boys Military School nearby. About twice a year the administration would have dances in which local girls would be invited and matched up to partners by height. All the girls would meet in the parking lot of the local Pharmacy late on a Saturday afternoon and be bussed to the school a few miles away. On the bus rides the 99 bottles song would always be sung. Oh my gosh...... I have pictures somewhere of me under the big plastic capped hair dryer getting ready for one of my dates. I can also remember pictures of our ball gowns that were worn to the Spring Formal. Every little girl should have had the privilege of starting to date in the fourth grade. hahaha
Anyway...back on topic. Yes Pippi. I am planning to use bottles such as these as rooting jars. I found those at Big Lots and requested that any one who could, to please purchase them and bring to the swap for reimbursement. I have since decided that the openings in the neck of these particular bottles are not going to be large enough, but am still asking if anyone happens to see anything such as this and it isn't too inconvenient or too costly, please purchase them and I will re-pay at swap. If you find the catalogue with the bottles you were thinking of purchasing, let me know and I can look it up on line possibly.
Coleup, I too would love to have a Fraydec. If you do need to purchase one and it isn't too much trouble, I will gladly reimburse you for it. How fun, how so much fun!!!
Looks like lots of swapping still taking place. I cannot remember there ever being as much excitement about a swap as this one has produced. I guess that many of us remember the last swap that Ric and Holly had, and want to re-create the wonder of that day again. Looks as though this one is going to out do that one, hands down.
Along the same lines, for some reason I have been more interested in gardening this year than in years past. Not exactly sure what that is all about, but I do know that I have experienced a new sort of wonder about all the beauty about me. Having a group of friends such as yourselves makes it a lot more fun too in terms of being able to share the things I learn and the things I see, and likewise from you all. Yes, Dave's Garden is a wonderful place to get a plant education.
Off for now but not without wishing everyone a great day. The sun is out here today which is nice, but I am so thankful for the last few days wetness. Take care all.
Ruby
With regard to the coleus.. I've tracked down Michelle on the ORVG thread, and it sounds like she sent an email that didn't make it to me, so we'll try again. It's a busy time for them -- plant stuff, kid stuff, trying to move as soon as they can find/close on a place (although the idea of trying to move that stuffed-full greenhouse makes me wince) -- but I know she's stuck starts of at least a dozen very cool varieties, plus a dark and a lime-green ornamental sweet potato... figure I should have prices in hand though before I release the official list, LOL.
This page is what she had available last year, at $2.50 per cutting. http://www.geminigarden.com/Annuals.html She'll have some of the same this year, maybe some new ones too... and while I don't know if we'll have the sort of numbers to make it worth her while to give us a group discount, we'll still save on shipping by ordering together in one box (especially if you only want one or two).
SSG, I just took several cuttings of 'Inky Fingers' (the little trailing one), so I should have that one for you at any rate.
Peoples - who's got houseplant cuttings????? I'll be begging for garden plant leftovers - but, if you have any you can snip off and stick in a bag for me, I'd really appreciate it! Please & thank you!
Bec, I recently got a thick-stem begonia houseplant that's just beautiful. I got it from a gardener who's moving to California. She said I could just cut a stem and that it would root easily. I just have no idea what it's called or how to take care of it. I'll take pics and try to identify it and get a cutting started for you, not that I know how to do that yet!
Critter, I'll take whatever coleus I can get! :-) $2.50 per cutting sounds reasonable, but I wasn't going to get more than 4 or 5. Those coleus pics are gorgeous!
Bec---
I can do for you--Not cuttings. All growing in pots.
Spider plants
Swedish Ivy
Two different red Epis
Ric Rac Cactus
Night Blooming cereus
Pregnant Onion
Angel Wing begonias
Golden Pothos
Thanksgiving cactus--different colors
Some wandering Jew cuttings--rooted. Will pot up
Let me know.........Gita
SS--
Is this the Begonia you got????
It is called "Angel Wing begonia". Also called "Cane Begonia".
I will have some at the Swap.
Gita
