After event questions and answers and chatting

Spent yesterday potting, re-potting and planting all the wonderful plants that we received at Jan's. Didn't think I had requested very many things, but of course I hadn't kept track of Pat's requests. Adding in all the unplanned bestowals, we came back with as much as we took... so much for making room on our patio. ;-) By the way, Pat selected a lovely fern from the gift table that we have yet to ID. I posted it on the Plant Identification Forum yesterday bur as yet lack a definitive resolution. Perhaps the person who contributed this plant knows it's identity? If so, please reveal the answer to our mystery, and thank you for the delightful plant.

just a few more...

This last picture is my favorite ^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ...The HOST & HOSTESS with the MOSTEST!!! Thank you both for your kindness, opening your home and gardens to all of us. Your generosity is over whelming, you made ALL feel welcome.

Sorry Pixie, didn't mean to interrupt your series of postings.

No problem Greenthumb. :)

Great pictures specially Jan and Jeff! And I am glad that you did not spend all day behind a lens as you are such a delight to be around. Loved comparing 'cheeks' with you and talkin big families! Speaking of comparison...OK, really can any of you tell the two hostas in the picture apart?

One has been mine for years and the other is new from the kindness of Gita in rescuing and potting up neighbors rejects. Thinking of others seems to run in the MAF family! I'm declaring a perfect match! Now the sidewalk out the back door is filled in. Presto chango magic.

Lol Who? will eat all these tomatoes! As we were driving back Wayne told me that he 'picked up a few plants' too. He loved all the herb and veggie plants, and said Jill was like the 'Johnny Appleseed' of Figs! You all know what I mean

Greenthumb/David I love "unplanned bestowals" and plant acquisitions by plant collecting partners! Go Pat! And thanks for all the rock chat and info, very gracious of you and my grandson is all ears to receive the rocks and fossils that Buttoneer sent to the swap. Just wonderful and generous Judy. Hope to see you and Bobbin real soon.

Memory, I had fun planting your edible container. Edibles are pretty, too. Wonder if those Jerusalem artichokes could live in a huge pot? I could put it out in my garlic 'field'!

May magic be afoot for all of us.

This message was edited May 20, 2013 6:39 AM

It's such fun to know who donated your pick to the gift table. I will smile at Judy's witty comments each time I pass my two lovely garden ducks!! Oh yes, the table was filled with lovely things, especially the memory of the person who donated.

Jan- print and frame that picture of you and Jeff- always nice to have another happy picture together.
thanks for more pictures pixie- more and more feels like I was there.

coelup- the Jerusalem artichoke- maybe,it is tough.. but it will be seven feet tall, LOL

Holly the brug is for button. Lol.

Holly---

I can solve the mystery of the Brug with Paul's name on it....

I gave it to him last year as the "monster cutting" from my Dr. Seuss.
He never took the tag out that said: "To Paul--from Gita". I saw it when he showed it to me
at the swap.
This Brug was sent via YOU, Holly for Buttoneer.... OK?

***************************************************************************

David--I did not donate that fern--but I can give you part of its name....
It is (something) FOOT fern. Like--duck foot...chicken foot...Goose-foot....etc.
The fronds look like a foot of something.
I looked it up a while ago--as we get these in, now and then, at the HD.

Gita

Paul--we cross-posted....

Great pics!!! Thank you. That is a good pic of Jeff and I. Rarely are my eyes open. Thank you. We had a ball!!! We all play together soooo well.

I love the one of Maggie's banner that she made!! She tried to make different flowers in it. Since she had a sleep over the night before. She was dressed and ready to swap at 6:30 am. she was a very excited little girl, especially when Maddison got there. Thank you for sharing with her.

critter, so sorry to hear of your friends horrific loss... can't even imagine the distress of the family... our heartfelt sympathy to their family, relatives and friends...
***

pixie, great photos esp. of Jan and Jeff!!

I'm still sorting away here and hope to start getting some things in the dirt today while our grounds are still damp from some much needed rain. Thanks again everyone ^_^

Sorry to hear about your friends worst nightmare happening, Jill. Hope our prayers help to comfort them.

Thanks guys now I don't feel like a plant thief. LOL Figure Happy can get a yellow bleeding heart at the fall swap. Maybe the one I brought home if it does find a spot in my garden. LOL

I appreciate all the prayers and sympathy, as will they. Thanks for letting me share that without bringing down the wonderful after-swap "glow!"

Lovely photos!!! It's great to have faces to go with some familiar names, and those pictures of Jan's garden are wonderful. Of course, I'm joining with all who commented above, that my favorite photo is the one pixie took of Jan & Jeff!

My in-laws are coming up Thursday, so I have to get the house clean-ish before I can garden. Bleah.

Well said Roses, I am still speechless but praying.

Hahaha Sallyg of course J chokes get tall, but I'll need something really tall so I can see it above my 3' high garlic! Hope the bulbs are as big as the tops imply! Maybe my food contribution to Fall Swap will be gallons of Homegrown Heirloom Gazpacho!! Maybe Memory will send, er I mean bring some of her garlic variety which she informed me keeps all year!

Lol even though we do not have a place or time or host/ess set for a Fall Swap, maybe we could 'sticky' a Haves and Wants thread! (How's that for 'cheeky' Marie and Celeste ?) That way I'd have a good reason for all the 'pots of things' sitting around!

Sallyg Tues am works as does Thurs after work as I have other passalongs for Donner, too. Would have brought your Big Surpiise from Gita up yesterday but kept falling asleep! I do love naps but usually one a day is sufficient. Gita, the B Surprise is in primo shape so don't worry. LMK what your preference is Sally. Are you still down this way for training?

I am with you, critter, on housework , bleah!!! Much rather be in the garden.

I am still on a high, or maybe that is the strongish coffee I am drinking this morning. We weren't really home yesterday, so today I need to look through my stash of goodies you all left for me. It's like a huge surprise package.

sally---coleup's talk about this BIG surprise may have you baffled.
Such a build-up.......

Judy has sure tried to build up your expectations....It is a plant--not uncommon--just tall....

'nuff said.....G.

Well I finally got to take some time to expand on the sentiments of everyone. It was a tremendous event. It is hard to believe how many people were there. I wonder what the total travel miles would be for the group. Any guesses?!?

What a great set up Jan!!! A corner house, nice big back yard with lots of space. The kitchen was great and the food was insane. I can't believe we generated that much food for the group. It was enough to feed an army. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

The Australian Tree Fern was the "Ahhh wooooooo" plant for me. Judy, you have to promise to keep us posted on the development of those babies. They are in such pristine shape, keep up the good work.

There is never enough time. It was a whirlwind that was over before I knew it. At my second plant swap, 5 hours felt like an hour. It never ceases to amaze me how great everyone. I was a little more prepared organizationally for this one but I have to give a shout out to my neighbors, Holly and Ric. They were doing such a great job of distributing their plants I made room for my left over azaleas as soon as there was enough room and they moved like hot cakes. That table was on fire!

I look forward to seeing everyone around the MAF and enjoying each other. Happy planting.


-Paul

Many of you all wondered about two of the plants I brought to Swap One Show and Tell , the Australian Tree Ferns and the other to swap to Happy, Bears Breeches, Acanthus 'Summer Beauty'.

Acanthus 'Summer Beauty'
http://www.plantdelights.com/Acanthus-Summer-Beauty-Summer-Beauty-Bears-Breech/productinfo/2526/

Happy, Hope you will propagate some of this and enjoy the TWO bloom stalks and share some pics, too. Love the dark green leaves. Below, pic # one is of bloom.

Australian Tree Fern
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyathea_cooperi
http://toptropicals.com/catalog/uid/Cyathea_cooperi.htm
Will be looking for a new home for fall and winter where it can grow warm enough inside which I can't currently provide. Aspen? Roses? Holly? Greenthumb? No commitment but let me know of your interest please.

Fern tree is BEAUTIFUL. Link says it grows to 49 feet. What do we do with it when it reaches the ceiling???

I might take it come fall. The Australian Tree Fern has been on my Wish List for years but I have held back do to space to over winter it. So enjoy it for the summer and we will see come Fall if I think I can overwinter one.

LOL Roses
Build a bigger atrium, sunroom, greenhouse or consevatory! Or take it on a cruise to New Zealand!

Sites also say 'significantly smaller' if restrained in a pot. I'm thinking I will treat it like my banana plants and pot up a size till it reaches managable height for indoor growing as it doesn't do a dormancy like I have my bananas an EEs do for winter. Also, these are likely to be smaller varieties than the giant although no variety was listed.

These were rescue plants showing little life when I bought them and I felt they were only a step away from being trashed. They are long lived plants. I will do my best to keep them alive and do the steep learning curve work to learn as much as I can.

Who doesn't love a big fern that you can pet!

Judy--

coleup--you just answered my question....where you got it....

This message was edited May 20, 2013 12:14 PM

They really are beautiful!

Got my 'nacoochee princess' deciduous azalea planted this morning. Now, to decide where everything else will go.

You go Jan. Those deciduous azaleas Paul brought for you and Happy were just beautiful, Don;t you love the fragrance!

The other large deciduous azalea went to Karen (nuts4daylily).

Thanks Paul , you caring soul you. Must be why Karen didn't have room to take my last Japanese maple back with her. Oh well, she did get JM 'Butterfly'. Maybe we all will have to gather up at her place and visit our plants, er, I mean see her gardens when the daylilies bloom. Wonder if any of the ones Karen soooo graciously gifted will bloom a tinsy bit earlier for us zone 7 types?

Karen, when is peak bloom time for you?

This message was edited May 20, 2013 12:12 PM

Very sorry for your friends' loss, Jill. What a heartbreaking tragedy!!!

Thank you for sharing the photos. Happy moments indeed. I sure had a wonderful time.

Donnerville/Sally I love that your hat and your shirt matched!!

See Diana's pic below

I have some unclaimed 'Black Stem'EEs if you'd like another on Thurs.

Coleup, I so wanted that pretty J maple, but I didn't have a good answer to Jim's inevitable question -- "Where will that go?" I've got one lovely Butterfly JM, and my new deciduous azaleas need sunny space somewhere... I do have a red JM (volunteer carefully potted up by Cheryl) and a green one similar to that big one you had (just bought at the Balt. MG plant sale), and I'm going to try to keep both of those smaller and potted, with bonsai-like methods.

I didn't get to Paul's azaleas in time, my bad!, but Aspen-Terri is very graciously sharing one of her babies with me. :-)

Trying to find a way for everyone to see the pictures from the camera that I left a my daughter's house on Sunday.

Let me know if this works for you (can't check myself because I can ALWAYS see the pics since I'm a member)


http://www1.snapfish.com/snapfish/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=6285478016/a=10193667_10193667/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/



This message was edited May 20, 2013 2:09 PM

RRR--

Are you talking about all out Mug Shots--or just regular pictures you took?

Unfortunately--the link does not work,,,,It wants you to register...sign in...be a member, etc....

I could not find a place to over ride that.....but I am not all that savvy with some computer things...

Gita

coleup, I wore a straw hat because I wouldn't look as good in a cute bandanna. Haha!

The 2 Black Stem bulbs you gave me last time still have not sprouted yet. Guess they need more time and warmer weather. If you have more to share, sure. I would love to take them. Thank you.

Actually, I'm talking about all the pictures that I took. I joined this to be able to see the pictures that my daughter sends me. If anyone wants to see the pictures before I actually get my camera back, I guess that a person can join just for this once and then cancel. Either way, I'll need to wait to get my camera back before I can actually have them on my computer to send or link to picasa. Maybe Jen or Onewish can help me with this.

Roses, I wouldn't stress over the pics... gives us something to look forward too. You'll have your camera back before you know it. And, thanks so much for the lisianthus!! I can't believe you started them from seeds. I know from experience that they are slooooooow growers from seed. I'm planting them in a special spot.

I got Chantell's big huge Yucca planted today. It's in a sunny dry spot behind our mailbox. I can't wait to see blooms

Judy,

I DID want to thank you for my Persian Shield plant you gifted me.
You are always so thoughtful. And--all your plants are always so well taken care of.

Funny--that the Hostas you chose from my 17 pots matched the ones you already had!
I have to say, that when these "trashed" Hostas, from my neighbor, leafed out--
I was blown away how beautiful they were....especially the all green with the smoky blue margins.
It impressed me so much--I kept one and have a spot in mind where to plant it.....
Will send pics...when...and where.....
Will have to ask her if she is sick and tired of anything else.....may have another car-full for the fall swap....
Heaven help me....................Gita

--Talking about this one......#1
--And--here is one I have owned for years--it is a huge, big-leaf, variegated one I got once from my Cousin.
It is in a big, square pot--will need to divide it soon....
--This is where I "may" plant the 2 Hostas I kept...Right by the fence--under my Lilac.
May be very difficult to dig up a bed...

I just signed up for it, it doesn't cost anything

I'll have to wait cuz I can't upgrade flash player on my iPad.