I have quite a bit of space. It is very rural here. It was all just bare sand surrounded by woods and I have been working hard for 3 yrs on planting things. Figuring out what works and what doesn't. The unseasonably warm weather followed by a prolonged cold snap damaged my crepe myrtles, saucer magnolia, roses and even my carolina jasmine. My clematis, on the other hand seems fine. I suspect there are other things damaged that I just haven't discovered yet- I wonder if the buds on my azaleas survived... I expect most of my plants to survive, but maybe not bloom at all this spring. Not much time to do anything outside, going camping this wkend. Hope my cousin can keep things watered and cats fed. I am a sucker for garden mags- anything beautiful. I can't imagine living in the city, but then I grew up in the country. Sorry for running on- it has been a very busy month and I expect it to stay that way at work, at the same time I am trying to plant spring plants, garden, etc. I am a bit stressed... So much to do, so little time to do it in! Well,I am going to figure on getting the clumping kind. I still have not figured out where I want it exactly (concerned about planting too near the septic lines- idiots put them all across the back yard!), but I will figure it out. Clumping bamboo sounds like a great, low-maintenance plant, gorgeous and useful. Glad to hear yours survived the cold weather. Brandy

Christine, if Zee's tulip poplar doesn't make it (and Suja decides to stay where she is instead of moving closer in), there is a source in Bowie as well. I got one last fall that did well after transplant but didn't make it through the winter. The person I got them from has many more seedlings/saplings, and I'm sure we could go get one if we ask. You can come dig my spirea (and some hosta) whenever you like. There is a big spirea that has your name on it now. (Sigh of relief!) I'll bring some parts of smaller ones to the swap though, in case anyone else wants some. And I'll try to remember the fork, but if I forget it you can have it when you come get the spirea..oh, wait, maybe I should hold the fork hostage, and you can use it to dig up the spirea.. =) Lynne

Update: I have a Quartz mountain Live oak that has survived the winters of 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 in the ground. It is a 4 ft at planting time specimen. I did put christmas lights on it both winters. I didn't cover it though. It hasn't grown too much though, because it doesn't often get in the 90'sF here the way they like it. It may get only a foot or so of new growth a year, but, I am just thrilled to have a Live oak in zone 6. The Live oak from Arizona is still alive, but, it was killed down to the soil line several winters, but, I will be covering it next winter so it can get some height to it finally. The Arizona Fusi Live oak is now about 3 feet tall. The Arizona Fusi is multi-trunked, so i hope to get it to 1 trunk also, I'm not sure how to do that really without taking off the wrong trunk, or killing it by trying. Maybe I should go on the tree forum?

Well I was wondering where the follow up comments for the Buda swap were! So glad I revisited this thread. I really enjoyed meeting you all and putting a face to some of the forum participants, learning about new plants and being on the receiving end of warm and generous swappers. I spent much of the afternoon after the swap finding a new home in my garden for all the plants although I will admit that I forgot what some are! And then I went online to google information about some of them and their care. Thank you so much Charlotte and swappers for making my first swap experience such a pleasant one and I hope to be much better prepared and knowledgable when I come to the next one. While I got to talk a bit with some of you, I feel there are many more who I'd like to get to know. Patty has been sharing some swap etiquette information with me and I hope you all will provide me a bit of slack if I overstepped, as I'm still a bit fuzzy about rules/etiquette and expectations. And I invite you to contact me if you have any advice or comments about our interaction as that will be a big help and an opportunity to get to know you. Already plotting in preparation for the next swap and might like to also bring some nonplant garden items to share with you. Cal