Swapping & Chatting Ric & Holly's Swap The Last Week

Potted up some pieces of 'Translucent Golden' thyme this morning... nice groundcover type... anybody want dibs?

Also "pimping" those butterfly bush cuttings from my list, if anybody is interested... they're in 4 inch pots, so you won't have to dig a hole for them until fall... just pot them into gallon containers over the summer. There's a bigger pot of 'Black Knight', if somebody wants one to plant out now... let me know if you're interested, or I probably won't try to make room for it. :-)

Jill, I'd like some of that golden thyme please!

You got it! I'll try to toss a pot of it in also for anybody who was generally interested in thyme (if it says "thymes" plural on your "promised" list, you're getting one LOL).

I'll take some of that thyme also, thanks!!!


I have a 2 for 1 special, Lamium and Creeping Jenny in the same pot if anyone wants it

flowajen, I have the perfect place for that lamium + creeping jenny!

It's yours!

Jen, you need a Rose Petal thyme, too. And probably a Hot & Spicy greek oregano. And why are you not hitting me up for mints? LOL Also, I discovered I managed to pick up a repeat pot of rose scented geranium (thought it was a different variety), so I can swap you that for some of those extra purple-veined petunias. :-)

Sure sounds good.....

lol Jen, you need something to fill in for that trailer full of stones you were trying for! Is your daughter in to fairy gardens? I know you are. Nice that she can come on Sat

Oh yeah those fairy gardens she tells everyone that they are "her's"

Jill if you have room and it's not spoken for Ill take that lgr butterfly bush - the girls love the butterflies!!! BTW is your SAC from me a couple of years ago? If not I'm wondering if I actually had the native variety and that's why it seemingly had no scent that I noticed.

I've added a Stephens jasmine should anyone be interested. As for pimping plants last call tomorrow at 6 for Passifloras! Rare are they up already - that mild winter did it, I'm sure!!

I would like a passiflora please. Getting very excited.

This morning, I will be following DH, son and 2 grandydaughters with the canoe, so they can put in the river and they can leave the second car at the end point. Then I'll come home, and pack up the car with my plants, then go to my freind's to get her goodies, then, then, then, wake up, pick up friend, drive 103 miles and then PARTY, party, party. Am I excited? You bet I am

Great weather for a canoe trip, too!

Yay Jan! you will have a really fun day!

They are packing up things as we speak. Son only wants to go 5 miles or so before they make camp. They have some good memories in canoes.

Anyone want a free kitchen sink?
Seriously. Stainless, ordinary, 40 year old sink, good condition, leaky Delta faucet, great for potting bench.
There are tons on craiglist already, not worth listing.

LOL re kitchen sink! Nope but if someone could get that Maytag man (literally) out to repair my dang refrigerator...that would be swell. Speaking of - if anyone has a large cooler - it would be oober helpful. We're using ours currently since the refridgerator is...well warm inside...ugh!!!

Holly is there some place close to you I could pick up ice if others might be able to bring some coolers for the sodas and such? I may have one more cooler...have to brave the 'storage room' to check...pray for me!

Jan23 - passiflora-check

There is swap competition for Saturday...Henrietta is hosting the annual swap at her home in Burtonsville(Md.) on 5/19 also. Hers was the first one we went to..her gardens are to die for, looks like something out of a gardening magazine. It is well attended, the year we went there were about 70. think it was 2009.. On same swap day, there was also one over in Northern Va. Spring is definately in the air! Maybe we need some bumper stickers.".My car stops at all plant swaps" or "Beware! plant swap driver on board!" or "Out of my way! I'm heading for a plant swap!"

Looking forward to visiting Holly and Ric and seeing everybody in the MAG group and meeting new gardeners.

There is a man that attends that swap and brings a truck load of aged, horse manure that has been processed. He never swaps any plants or walks around to look for any. He gets his burlap coffee bean bags free from a coffee place near where he works and he provides the shovel and manure and you shovel your own in the bag. We were parked two spaces from that manure and you could not smell any bad odor. He was the most popular person there! Left with an empty truck too..Because of the weight of manure, most ladies only filled up 1/2 of that large burlap sack but I'm betting their gardens were pretty the next year after they applied that.

How cool is that, Pippi?

Chantell, I've resisted asking for a passiflora because I think I've killed them twice now, but if you truly have an extra...

Can't remember where I read that you haven't failed with a plant until you've killed it three times. LOL

Lol Pippi!

Here's hoping we all enjoy this glorious weather for packing, traveling and swapping plants!

Hoping Happy returns safely, Gita fits it all in, and our Ruby is fit as a fiddle for long travel. Wonder how many plant swaps she and John will pass on the way? Say, is there a phone app yet for yard sales or plant swaps or yards of note en route?

Speaking of bargains, I will be bringing some of the ones I bought extras of as show and tell plants and will swap for cost if anyone interested:

2 Euphorbia 'Black Bird' @$9
2 Oxalis 'Velvet Sunset' @$7 (orange foliage)
5 Ensete "Red Absynian' banana @$6
5 alocasia 'Freydek' @$5
5 Knockout Rose "double red', one gallon pots @$9 (regular $ 13 at HD
Please dmail me if you want any of above reserved for you.

Thanks, Judy



This message was edited May 18, 2012 9:11 AM

Oops, forgot to mention above that I have a large old microwave for sterilizing soil to go with sally's sink in the well-equiped potting bench!

Caution: DO NOT use on 'stink bugs" . Ask me how I know.

Won't be long now folks. Gosh, a lot of hype leading up until tomorrow, for sure. Can't wait to meet some of the new folks whom I haven't yet met and of course see the regulars too.

Our car will be packed later after the sun sets. All that will be necessary before leaving tomorrow is drinking a cup of coffee and taking a hand full of pills, and I should be ready to ride.

Holly, have you or Ric thought of contacting your local paper to see if this would make a human interest story? I am sure that other gardeners would find an article on this group of plant swappers really interesting and it may also drum up some new Dave's members. Who knows....the thought just crossed my mind.

Looking very forward to the food, fun and fellowship that tomorrow will bring. See you then!!!

Ruby

Yep, good one Judy......only you. Well, take that back, we have some really inquisitive people among us, but I bet there are not too many who would confess to this science project. hahaha

Judy, please reserve on the Velvet Sunset Oxalis for me. Just looked it up, and have to have one for my collection. I have been having so much fun with the other two types of Oxalis I have and want to have even more fun by adding this unusual plant to the mix. Thanks!!!

Ruby

I started seeing signs on Rt 15 that the Lucketts antique store is having their big sale this weekend. This is what caused huge back ups on Rt 15 last year when everyone was trying to get to my place. SO,,, avoid RT 15 between Leesburg, VA and Point of Rocks, MD on your way to Ric and Holly's

Jill - passi - check! I'll bring you extras... Just keep her watered still she puts on growth than they do their own thing...easy peasy - I promise

SSGardener, I was cruising the have lists... if still available, may I please try your sedum Angelina &/or Doone Valley thyme? Thanks!

Sally, I'm sorry about TinyTiny sedum... every time I think I've spotted one, it turns out to be a weed! *blushing* The special siberian iris is being shipped in September, so I'll have it for you at the fall swap. But I do have a little pot of Semp arachnoides for you! :-)

Coleup, I'd love to buy the Freydek from you!!

Jill--THats OKI bet you're finding Thyme leaf Speedwell- at least I sure am
{ 8 ^0
Thanks!
Printing my 'promised to others' list now, but I can sure add to it by hand...

In regards to sedums and sempervivums plus.

I am newly bitten by these plants and will be bringing some I have collected to show and tell and share. My hope would be that we could assemble all of our bringings in one designated mini swap area . That way we could all gather and swap while comparing types, stories and tips, etc. What say ye?

On the Sedum /Hens and Chicks display cloth I will have

sedums
Cape Blanko
Voodoo
fuldagut
chocolate ball
tricolor
ogon
angelina

sempervivum Hens and Chicks
black
tectorum
3 noids and a rosy colored one
aracanid ? webby one

I've tried to pre-root/divide some pieces of aboves but could use some guidance.

Holly, maybe we could put them near your rock wall full of these lovelies 'cause for sure it's on my 'must see at Holly's' list.

RE: Hen and Chicks...just pull off a chick and place on top of soil, if a long root just stick it down in the soil, then you're done, easy peasy
Sedum if they are creeping just pull off a piece and bury in soil, you're done, easy peasy

Everything is potted, wrapped, labelled and ready to go...I'll load the car in the morning

Jill, I'm bringing extras of those so you're all set!

Coleus, I'm completely addicted to sedums!

"one designated mini swap area" is sort of the way this works, but with this many people attending, it's not going to be so "mini" LOL.

We're going to keep Holly & Ric busy doing garden tours. :-)

Thanks, SSG! Sedums (especially the little ones) and semps are a new "thing" with me lately, also.

OH, does anybody have a little pond or water garden pot that could use a start of mini cattail or water celery or horsetail? :-)
(Holly, I've got those down for you, will stick them in a bucket or bag with your lotus)

Thank you, Chantell.

Just got back from dropping off the guys and grandies for their overnight canoe trip. Wasn't planning on doing that today...heehee, but it was sooo worth it to see the girls' faces as they shoved off the the bank.

Now, I can concentrate on tomorrow .

BTW, have I said that I am uber excited??!!!

ROSES, did you have a chance to check for Caryopteris or Sand Cherry seedlings? Also, if you could check for russian sage for Chantell, I'd appreciate it -- I thought her pot of cuttings was rooting, but there's no sign of a leaf as yet. Thanks!

I've got a flat of that chartreuse ground-cover sedum for anybody who wants a handful -- throw it anywhere, it will grow! LOL

Wind, if you have a chance to put my name on a Yvonne's Salvia, I'd appreciate it! (no sprouts in my WS container for that one, boo hoo)
If you're already packed up, no worries... I promise my hummers won't starve. :-)

Sounds like your just a "little" excited, Jan

My nights filled with nightmares are over-----
My car is packed! Did it this afternoon..All the windows are down and the hatch is up.
Keeping some fresh air flowing over the boxed plants...

That took a bit of finegling....(sp?)--bit! They are all in the car.

The price I had to pay for this????
I had everyone's plants in their own boxes. Thought that would be easiest...Sure!!!
BUT--in order to fit everything in my small Outback--I had to move plants around
from this box to that box to consolidate...
SO! Now it won't be as easy to just hand everyone their box----Nope! Nada! Nein!

More work for me sorting things out--but i am glad that this worked out.
That pre-Swap---Swap we did at sallyg's was really a goof idea. Why drive the distance with
all the plants for each of us from each of us if we could get together early and swap them out...

Then--donner came to my house after work on Thursday--and p/u her stuff from sally and coleup, and greenthumb and
Robin--plus the loot I had for her. Lots and lots! besides, she had the pick of my extras.
Salad made---car packed---wine chilling---what a wonderful, relaxing evening i am having....

Here are a couple of pictures....

1--you saw this already--but--this is ALL the requested stuff boxed up and sitting everywhere since Monday.
2--All these boxes went to sally's for the pre-SwapSwap.