Spring Green Elephant Plant Swap

Sounds like you have lots of seeds!
What did you plant?

Mahonia, rhus, euphorbia, and lots I am not sure about! I am going to be posting alot of pics on plant id this spring! LOL I have morning glories and cobaea and gourds going right now, Think I will do Job's tears and hibiscus, cypress vine, and not sure what else. Tammy sent me 35 packs of all kinds of things. Have to sourt thru them and figure out what I can just sow right in to the soil and what I will germinate in the house.

Let me know how fast your Cobaea germinates. I am trying that again this year. Cypress Vine - indoors and with bottom warmth.
I am still in awe that you got things in the ground! Of course, some of us went to Flower world to indulge our plant acquisition addiction...Planting will be tomorrow. Unless I decide to populate the Plant ghetto. LOL...

Well it has been 6 days and I don't see anything yet. Have a nice germination set up. Heat mat and 72 cells, using the ground coconut shells as starter. Really holds water and allows roots to roam freely. Got a brick for $5 at Molbaks and it made almost a 5 gal bucket after soaking it in water. Makes a nice mulch for tenders, too. And looks nice!
The cobaea is mountain glory blue.

Wow, everyone ~ Thanks. We just got home and unloaded in the dark. What a haul! I went simply expecting to meet and greet and maybe bring home a treasure or two, but not a whole dog crate full! We'll be gone all day tomorrow and most of Monday. Hopefully I will be able to go through everything, inventory and look them up on the internet.

It was really great meeting everyone ~ much better than I hoped for! You all are a wealth of knowledge and so willing to SHARE! That's so unusual in the circles in which I have traveled in the past. Nice to find good people out there. Thanks again, and I'm looking forward to many more (and having stuff to share back!)

XOXOXO!

Just got home after a long visit with my mother, who was still chuckling over busting me liberating rocks from the undeveloped property next to the church. Sorry I missed the visit to flower farm, but it's probably best. I already have a large enough pot ghetto, and I'll have my hands full planting everything I got today! When Poochella says she has plants to divide, she is not kidding.
Nice to finally meet outtymygourd et al and NWGordon. Nice additions to the dg social group! Yes, we are definitely the group with the mostest at these events. JBuresh is having a plant swap in April at her house. She's posted a thread on this forum. I went to one at her place last year or the year before and it was huge. There were DG people as well as GW people there and lots of plants. It's a potluck so there is food, too. Plants and food. A nice combination.

Pixy,
I would love some Datura 'black current', Nicotiana langsdorfii, Cherry tomatoes 'sungold', and Helenium autumnale if you still have some... I will be at Rachels next Saturday.

I sure wish I could have went today sounds like you all had a blast. I looked and looked and could not find things to trade this time of year. I guess I will divide alot this summer/fall for next spring and put it in the greenhouse so I will have trades. My seeds are not ready yet either.
I will have lots to trade later and next spring/summer with all the daylillies I have.

Here is what we worked on today, putting a deck and fence around the front of the greenhouse...not quite done yet need to finish up and get things planted...lol

I'll put you down for some, no problem! Very nice little deck you have there! It looks great.

Cocoa ~ Very nice! Color me very green with envy! I don't have a greenhouse OR a deck yet!

That is so cute! And a little bit gross, I might add. I stopped by value village tonight and there was a lady with a dog like that in her cart. This poor dog was snorting and wheezing all over the place, just trying to breathe. It would have driven me insane.

Anyone who is going to be at Rachel's next weekend and wants some seedlings from the list above, please post your 'wants' here.

Pixy,

Thanks it will be fun to see you again and thanks for the seedlings, is there anything you can think of you would like me to bring to you?

Outta. thank you so much, will you be coming to Rachel's next Saturday? It would be great to meet you!

Cocoa ~ yes, I will be there with DH. Looking forward to meeting you as well.

Yes Pooch, I would love some, I'll be at Rach's. How ever you want to work it.
Are you going to Dragonfly? If so we can wait.

This message was edited Mar 1, 2008 9:55 PM

Hi all!

Sounds like everyone had a really great time-you even snuck in a nursery visit and, ah, rock seed collecting!

Carla, nice little deck area. What are you planting around it?

Cocoa, forgot how many of the Lucky bamboo stalks did you want, have to get everything ready to go on Mon. I close the store all next week, and I forgot to make a list. Have Rach's list, and if anyone else is interested let me know so I can cut them from the moma on Mon.

Tills,

I would love 3 if that is okay...one is fine if not. Thanks so much for remembering..I will dig out the books for you this week too!

Color me green . . . with envy! I'm so glad you all had such a glorious time today . . . just wish I could have been there!!!

Well, another time. I did get out in the yard for several hours and it was mostly warm and sunny. Just a couple of very quick sprinkles which I ignored . . . amazing what a lovely "almost spring" day can do for a person!

Sue,

Thanks, I am planting Daylilies, of course and a couple of the Salvias maybe a Dahlia or two...some bulbs and anything else I can squeeze in...lol

Good evening Murmur,

So nice to see you jumping in and out again. I have missed your other posts but have read them later. Hoping all is going well for both of you and sending you best wishes and many prayers!

So Carole - did you get a storm of heavy hail this afternoon. Rach and her Dad and Kate and I were inside at Flowerworld and the noise was deafening. It went on for several minutes. Then it was rainbows and blue skies, but still pretty cold. Glad you could get out.

Pixy - where did JBuresh post about her plant event? I'd love to meet her. She lives in Renton, is that right?

No hail here at all, and felt warm until about 4:30. I love Flower World, by the way - when my oldest daughter still lived in WA we went there at least a couple times each year. She'll be here on a visit next week - bet I could talk her into going there just for old times sake (assuming Steve is feeling well enough for me to be gone that long). He gets a bit nervous when I'm gone.

Got it Cocoa, will have then. and thanks for the books, and I know there was something else, and for the life in me I can't remember? I must be getting old or just forget to write it down. Or the cat ate it if I did, or read it and threw it away>>>
If you remember HELP ME.
Tills

Wish we'd had some of that warmth!! When was the last time you were there? If you haven't been there in a few years, you'll be amazed at how it's grown. Now that I work at Nordstrom, I have a different insight into retail. Their inventory is mind-boggling. And their prices today rivaled mail order. I think going there would be such a great trip for you guys. If you go on a weekend, I might be around and it's just a hop-skip-and-a-jump for me to come over and say hello.

Carol, miss you so much, how are things going? somehow we posted all over one another. if you are out a about and get a chanch to see your ? I forgot In, the Lynnwood area, Please stop and see me.
Love and Hugs
Tills

Katie heres the link

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/818921/#new

Mary, thanks!! Hadn't yet dawned on me to check the forum. :-)

Thanks for all of the great plants everyone! I have been out planting all day, came in for a minute and now back out again. Rach

Beautiful greenhouse and deck, Cocoa! Will be a lovely place to work and play as the weather warms up.

Poochella, Thanks for the irises. What nice big clumps. I got them in the ground right away.

Pixy, Thanks for the mahogany primula. I planted it near a blueberry bush, so I hope it does ok in acidic soil. If not, let me know and I'll put it somewhere else.

Outta, So nice to meet you today. I hope the bloodhound training went well.

Cocoa, all I really need is a cadre of garden gnomes to help me get all the beds ready for spring. I'm not looking for any other plants right now. Really! I haven't even planted what I got yesterday, not to mention the huge pot ghetto waiting for attention.

MHF, that primula will be fine in acid soil. That's all I have at my place.

Tills, thanks - I miss everyone a lot . . . and miss just spending time on DG. It's my granddaughter and her husband and baby that live near where you work, but I have no immediate plans to visit there (she's coming to see me this Friday). But believe me, when I get the opportunity I will be there with bells on. You are such a joy to know.

Don't you worry, Carole - we'll still be here when things get better. Hope you got out this weekend.

Carla, nice deck for the greenhouse. It really finishes off the look.

MHF ~ Nice to meet you, too! And thanks for the plants! Only got home an hour or so ago. . .training went very well, thanks. Love your furbaby ~ quite the wizened old man! And hey, OMG ~ the raspberries and the strawberries and the garlic and the . . .Wow! BTW ~ how did the concert go?

This message was edited Mar 2, 2008 8:34 PM

oh you chatterboxes....!
I just saw that pug thing today at work: cute!
Kathy et al, I can't believe you went to the huge Flower World after the Green Elephant! Amazing plant saturation, all in one day. I did notice that my route home took me past 4 separate nurseries, all equally tempting..... but I did not stop.

Tilly, I will arrange a way to get some daylilies to you at RR's via DG courier: Katie59 or Katye- dmail me if you're going okay? I can meet you Eastside anywhere. Katye, I took your exact directions home to miss the Redmond detour mess: perfect! By the time I got up Union Hill I knew exactly where I was. Thanks for the appreciated bypass tip and the crocosmia mass as well.

NW Gordon, if you want plants just Dmail me, I have more I want to thin out. Bellevue is very doable for me M-Friday. I can make just about any time but 5 a.m. or rush hour work. You don't need to buy breakfast, even though it sounds highly recommended! I know I should know exactly where the Pancake Corral is: yellow and white vertically painted exterior panels, or am I thinking of somewhere else, or years' ago paint job? Is it on south Bellevue Way?

Cocoa, love the greenhouse deck and your soil under it looks beautiful! 3 ft dahlias would fit so nicely there, easy to anchor to the fence too :)

Carol {{{{{ greetings friend!}}}}} Glad to hear you and Steve are maintaining and on a more positive course, and that you can get outside for sunshine/green therapy too. Very important to have an outlet these stress-filled days. Who'd have ever thunk of dirt was a soothing balm? It is for me. My prayers go with you both daily as well.

Tilly/Mary, I'll Dmail photos of daylilies and you tell me what you want or not. No, I'm afraid I won't make it to Dragonfly, (but I want to meet Heidi someday!) so I'll aim for a transfer to Rachel's work party.

What a gang of DGers we would have had if you 3 would have turned up, and J Buresh as well, we'd probably still be there gabbing or watching Pixie 'treasure hunt' stuff from adjacent properties LOL. Resourceful gal, that Pixy!

Thanks go back at you, MHF for the schizostylis that Pixy delivered and glad you got the iris from Outta. Thank you so much and thanks should go to Pixy for making the all the pick up and deliveries she did for others. WTG Pixy! Your mom just rocks, by the way! Rach's dad too. Very nice people abounded. It's just a crying shame that they put the coffee away by 1 pm~! What were they thinking?

And we should thank Jim Eichner for once again offering up his parish space, time, and committment to all things green allowing us the opportunity to gather in the first place. Thanks Jim, and thanks for the huge cherry tree LOL! I came back to my car expecting a sprig and found a whole tree already! Much appreciated.

I'm thinking that I might buy Jim's membership. It would sure be good to have him up here so's we can thank him proper. He's a nice guy.

Annie - I planted the Pacific Coast Iris today - thank you!! I tried to get them in a spot with early morning sun, but nothing in the late afternoon (I don't have any late afternoon sun, anyway. LOL). What was the other plant you gave me a chunk of? I've already forgotten.

Kate - It would be good if you could coordinate with Annie to get Mary's plants to her. Since I commute to downtown Seattle every day, I'm not really at home until after 6:30 at night.

Annie - I added a bunch of my lovely compost to my beds today. It's not quite finished, but once worked into the clay, it'll finish up in no time. Love them worms. Thank you again. I'd love to make another trip at the end of the summer if you think you'll have extra. Let me know.

I got home from the Green Elephant and immediately planted the Dogwood that I got from Pooch. It is 3rd in the line in my front yard, parallel to my neighbors arborvite columns. About a month ago I picked up Lilac 'Adelaide Dunbar' and a Salix "French Pussy Willow" which are one and two in the line, with Pooch's Dogwood(s) (mighty fine red twigs on that group), and my two Japanese pears all 8 to 10 feet apart. It is one fine group of plants.

I got so many plants from the GE that I could not accomodiate them anywhere but in a new garden. So I spent the afternoon taking the sod off of one 8x10' area at the sidewalk. After wearing my self down with that, I took the plants out of the back of the Jeep, and retired inside.

Sunday I spent sick with the most evil disease and could hardly get up, much less finish the garden and start the other side. My apologies if you got it from me at the GE. You will know if you did. You will think you died, but heaven is not waiting. Just stay in bed and sweat it out. After 24 hours of this I am much better, but still wiped out. Maybe I can get some mulch and toss it over the top of the hole today.

Right now, the plants are sitting out in the front yard getting rained on. We had no hail here in MLT, but it was pretty dark when I got home Saturday afternoon.

Ta Ta and thanks for the plants. You guys are the best.

Kathy, what did the other 'chunk' look like? I can't remember what else I gave to you, unless it was the dk purple sibirian iris? If they had light brown reedlike old stalks ~1/3 inch thick, 4-6 inches tall amid new green growth, that would be phlox David. 4 ft tall, sun. If it was a low mat with very fleshy pink branching horizontal stalks with ruffles of little foliage barely unfurling, that would be dicentra formosa "Langtrees." Might be Korean Solomon Seal in ~5 inch chunk of soil and one or two pale green/white emerging growth tips like 3/4" wide suppositories to be perfectly descriptive.

If you could send a photo, I could probably ID it for sure.

AnalogDog, What a horrible sounding illness. I hope you're over the worst of it, and back to full strength gardening soon. Glad you got your dogwoods in already. Thanks for the crocosmia and coreopsis again too.

Will work with a Katya delivery on sending plants to RR's.

Hi Annie, Love your descriptions! Really looking forward to getting my plants next weekend-now I'll know for sure which is which! :)

Oops. IE lost my response, Annie. So sorry.

What I have is a clump with small green protrusions (I actually don't know what a suppository looks like :-)). They look "rolled", rather than flat, like iris. There is some red on them. I'm thinking phlox, perhaps, but I don't remember that there was a lot of brown old stem.

Anyway, hope to get home tonight while it's still light and get a picture.

Thanks!!

Katie, I bolted awake at 3 a.m. when my memory file was finally accessed LOL The other plant is Geranium "Johnson's Blue." What reminded me was talking about shearing it back, avoiding new growth, and that it will rebloom for you. It will spread gently, very easy to control and start other patches if you wish.

If it's the siberians you'll know it because you need a chainsaw to divide them! That was a serious clump of siberians, Poochella! I think I know the secret to getting those nice cumps of plants now: I have to stop moving mine around every year. LOL! I just can't leave them alone long enough for the clump to get that nice. Thanks!