Sally, i'll bring the iris. Can i get a start of the eupatorium greggii from you? Got that one last year from bb's, but lost it in the drought. Love the foliage! Yep, i know, it's a thug.

Karen, that sounds good. If you lose it, i can always give it to you again. I've never done anything special with them- no rootone or anything- just kept it reasonably moist & forgotten them. Glad you don't mind the cyclamen are tiny. They are going dormant, so you may just get some almost clear white little 'peas'. :) They must have really liked the drought because i found many times more seedlings this year than i ever have before. They may have been out competing each other before, too. The bulk were around the parent plant's crown.

Alicia, the H.F.Young clematis didn't root as well as I had thought so it got very mad when I dug it up. I'll still bring it if it's at all alive, but I wouldn't feel right taking anything for it. You can drop something off my list or I could bring another daylily (or something?).

Karen, I am bringing some coral honeysuckle if you want one.

Magick, do you want some plants in exchange for your turtles?

I'm bringing some blue spiderworts (the kind that clumps and doesn't seed around), helebores foetidus, 'the fairy' rose, winter honeysuckle, coral honeysuckle, carolina phlox 'Bill Baker', oxalis 'rosea'(which blooms a long time and doesn't set seeds like the normal pink shamrock), and whatever else I can dig up today and tomorrow.

Shari the Spacecoast Starbust sounds great.

Ais another daylily sounds good.

Ais - If you have any extra toad lilies - I love them! Otherwise, just knowing the turtles will have a home & some play time with kids is enough for me.

Tammy, sure thing!

I have a purple crepe myrtle that anyone can have who wants to dig it up. It's about 6 feet tall, and this is it's second or third year. It just showed up about 30 feet from the line of them that I planted several years ago.

Sally

Ais, I'd definitely take the coral honeysuckle, but what I'd really like is Virginia bluebells. I got some from you last year but it didn't survive the drought. I hate to admit that, but I planted it and then went on vacation for 3 weeks, and when I got back we were already in 'extreme drought' conditions. It's never come back from dormancy. I was still hoping until this afternoon, when I saw it blooming in a friends garden and realized mine was 'permanently dormant'. Let me know what you'd be interested in as trade, for either one or both of those.

Karen, the S. 'Red Texas Sage' is a coccinea, so it is coming your way. I also have a blue-flowered hybrid S. 'Cardona' if you are interested. Also, S. farinacea 'Fairy Queen'. A link to Cardona is below. Here is the web address for a picture of 'Fairy Queen'. http://www.benary.com/index.cfm/addin/plants/artnr/V0680.html

Here is a link that might be useful: Link to Grolink Picture of s. Cardona

Ralph- i have that one- it's also spelled 'caradonna'. You'll probably get more hits on google images if you use that spelling. Lovely color.

Karen, my virginia bluebells have done well, but they are still the original 3 plants i put in like 10 years ago. No seedlings, nothing. They are lovely, and i'd love to find a source to get some more, or a seed source to try and grow some. Ais, what do you do that they like? Mine are nearly done blooming. My foliage never sticks around too long- they're normally gone by june or so, i think. May just be they are drier than they'd like.

Tammy, 'Caradonna' is S. nemorosa. Grolink claims that 'Cardona' is a new hybrid, though I agree that these two look a lot alike.

Ralph, I think we talked about Fairy Queen at some point, but I probably need to go back through old posts and straighten myself out. I always get so confused by this point. I am interested in both Fairy Queen and the Cardona, though, and will enjoy getting a red coccinea back in the garden. Do you want either or both of the salvias I've got potted (puberala, 'Flame') or should I try to dig you some blepharophylla?

Oops- sorry. Wonder if cardona has caradonna in its parentage? That would make sense, given the name and appearance.

Karen, is your puberula red, then? I have a pink one (i assume, as it's "rosebud"). Is yours hardy here? I was told that puberula isn't, but you seem able to push the zones...

Karen, is your 'Flame' S. greggii? Dave's Garden has several good pictures of it. There is a Flame Salvia in the Roof Garden and in the Scree Garden at the arboretum (JCRA) here in Raleigh. (Others Salvias in those gardens include 'Dianne, a pretty blue chamaedryoides, Christine Yeo, Dark Dancer, Pink Perfection, Teresa and an englemannii.) So, yes, I would love to have a start of Flame. And either of the other two you mentioned. Are you able to leave these latter two outside? I noticed in Betsy Clebsh's book on Salvia that she did not think them reliably hardy below 20F. By the way, I have been using a library copy of her book until this week when another volunteer at the arb brought in a bag of gardening books that she was planning on disposing of. As a result I now have my own copy of this book and one by John Sutton, "The Gardener's Guide to Growing Salvias".

Tammy, 'Flame' is a red greggii cultivar, sorry that was a little fuzzy the way I posted it. I lost the tag from my main clump of puberala years ago, but I think it's probably the El Butano form, which was a high elevation collection. Hence the hardiness. I've had it for years and have grown more and more slack about overwintering it. This year it didn't even get leaves thrown over the top but it's back right on schedule. I really like it because it blooms straight through our early Nov frosts without any damage, so I can make bouquets at Thanksgiving. There are a couple of other collections of puberala available, as well as several named versions/collections of the closely related S. involucrata. Both species are called Roseleaf or Rosebud sage with those busy taxonomists arguing about family relationships, but from what I've seen, puberala foliage is hairier and stickier. I've also got the Yucca Do collection of puberala, which has been hardy in my front bed in a more protected location. It has more elongated flower heads. The Bethellii form of involucrata has also been hardy for several years in my garden.

Ralph, I'll put your name on the Flame cutting. It's the truest red greggii I grow. I like the dark brown calyces -- on most of my other red greggiis the calyces are half charcoal, half green. Like I said, the cutting is small and got ignored over the winter, but it has top growth and decent roots. Given what I subjected it to this past winter, I can tell you that it's drought adapted! I do have puberula outside, and blepharophylla has been hardy and happy in a well drained, morning sun location under a tall pine tree. It's out there with the sinoalensis. I'll go see what I can dig up this evening, and I'll put your name on one of the puberulas I have potted up for the swap.

I don't have the most recent edition of Betsty Clebsh's book but need to remember to ask for it when I make my birthday list this year. John Sutton's is good, too, but remember that his climate is fairly different from ours when extrapolating hardiness information. I think our hot summer nights help us in growing and overwintering these plants.

Karen, if the puberulas that you have potted up are the hardy ones, can you put my name on one? I have whatever i got from bb's- not sure what i did with the tag, but i don't think it's hardy. I love the form, but would definitely like to get away from having to overwinter it. What would you like in return? Sorry i misinterpreted your post earlier. A red puberula would be pretty! Ralph, next time i'm at the arb, i'll have to check out all those salvias. I love that rooftop garden.

Karen, you didn't get them from me. Maybe from Alicia? I got some from her a while back so she probably knows what they like. Mine JUST started coming up (I thought they were goners) so maybe there's still hope for yours.
I'll bring the coral honeysuckle though. I've been spreading it around my yard so now I have tons, and it's lovely right now! I don't need anything in exchange, or you can just surprise me. I have so much going on this Saturday my brain is going to explode if I try and make a decision :-)

Hi again, I guess no one wants my 2 ivy "topiaries"! The leaves have 3 sharp-looking points. I have pics now that I can send if you're interested. I'll need to dig it up tomorrow if someone wants it. Just let me know. It won't break my heart to keep it!

I'll be at the swap on Saturday. See you there!
-Elaine

Elaine, can I interest you in one of my Callisia fragrans (aka Basket Plant) for your red and white-flowered Thanksgiving cactus cuttings? I grow some of these outdoors in the summer, but they are perfectly happy indoors year-round. They look like Bromeliads, but are closely related to Tradescantia. I have one blooming now whose flowers did, briefly, smell a little like Hyacinths. Outdoors the foliage becomes an interesting mix of green and a sort of bronze color. Click on the link below to see pictures of these plants.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pictures of Callisia fragrans

Ralph, I got 2 basket plants from you at the fall swap and I LOVE THEM! I could take home another. I can take cuttings of the Christmas Cactus for you. I don't think I have any rooted right now. I have a small Dwarf Banana plant that I'm bringing. Would you want that as well (or instead)?

Va. bluebells like a reasonable amount of moisture. Not swampy conditions exactly, although I saw them growing right beside streams in PA. Since they go dormant right after flowering they don't need moisture for long.

Karen, I dug some rugosa alba suckers for you but I'll hold onto them, because as usual I didn't get a very long piece and I don't know if they'll make it. I have you down for Rosette Delizzy, Iris kochii, and the rugosa for this fall. I'm going to see if I can get any pieces of the Diane salvia from my MIL's. If not I'll bring that this fall too, unless you want cuttings now. Shari and Tammy, how about you? I know you were interested in that salvia.

Magick I have you down for azalea seedlings this fall.

Deborah my wintersweet is alive and healthy but needs to grow. However, I should be able to get cuttings from it this summer.

Alicia, fall is just fine, in fact better in that you'll tend to them rather than me if you don't mind. I think my parents are going to move up here from FL which means I'll be helping my dad move a large orchid collection later this year, and I don't want to overextend (more than I have already). Ralph, I got the blepharophylla potted and was surprised at how much easier it is to dig this time of year than in the fall, which is what I usually try. We can talk about the best site for it at the swap, as I tried several times before it settled in and stayed. Both you and Tammy have a puberula, and I'll try to dig another for the general swap. Tammy, what do I want? You pick, or we can wait until fall. Ais, I empathize with the exploding brain thing. But I went back and looked at the tag and it says "VA bluebells Ais". Maybe it was For Ais and not From Ais. If so, I apologize very delinquently for taking and killing your plant. But I would still love the coral honeysuckle.

LOL Karen I think you did take and kill one of Ais' plants. I thought I gave her 2 Va. bluebells one year.

Alicia, fall is just fine for the dianne, but yes, i'm definitely interested.

Karen, i just dug your dehlia's sucker yest and it wasn't as well rooted as i'd hoped but does have some. I cut the stem back by half, potted it up and it seems ok. If you lose it i can always get you another. I'll look around and see what might interest you. I have a couple coral honeysuckle babies for you, too. So you'll be rolling in them!

I think my brain would explode if i didn't keep meticulous lists and check off every little thing.

Alicia, I would like to try 'Diane' again and would be happy to wait. Maybe we could do a swap this summer for something.

OK here's my list-
Alicia- Spacecoast Starburst daylily for iris Jesse's Song
Karen- Georgia aster for epimediums
Sally- Canna 'Panache' for Canna 'Musafolia'
seeds for Dana- just so I don't forget

Elaine, I will have several Callisias with me if you would like another, though my experience with this plant suggests that the previous two soon produce enough new plants for all of your neighbors since the tips root so easily.
If you have an area that gets morning sun, you might try a couple of Lobelia 'Blue Cascade' in a hanging basket. They do not like excessive heat and require frequent watering, but their pure blue color makes them worth the fuss if you have enough light to make them happy. I have a lot of them that I started from seed if you are interested. I can easily root the catcus if you bring cuttings. I am not sure if I have a place for the banana, but we can discuss it at the swap.

In the interest of my reputation and ensuring no one has to search my car at the end of the swap, I checked the old threads (thank goodness for the 'find on this page' function), and I was down for a VA bluebell from Alicia at the fall 2006 swap. And I only killed one, so now I don't feel quite so bad.

Elaine, would you like some Wandering Jew? It makes such a great houseplant, totally non-fussy. (No trade necessary; I have some to share.)

Does anyone happen to have hops (Humulus lupulus)? Any form is fine - cutting, rhizome, seeds.... Or any recommendations on a good place to find some around here? Check out my trade page or tell me what you are interested in. Thanks!!

Looking forward to meeting you all Saturday!

Hello all sorry I've been away, I was not sure if I could make the swap and as it turns out my sons birthday party is the afternoon of the swap :(. I do have quite a few plants to swap if anyyone wishes to swing by the homestead. Please see my list if interested. I live of off Cary Prkwy by Holy Springs Rd. feel free to call 302 5193 if interested.

would anyone be interested in some rainbow pineapple or aloe. With lots of sun the pineapple leaves have pink centers. Due to the thorns I'll only divide if someone is interested.

I haven't updated my page since last spring but everything should be the same except I am looking for some thyme.

Please, please, please email me directly if you want to trade, I don't want to miss your post.

Karen no one was going to blame you LOL. I figured I gave it to you by mistake.

I had to move my Va. bluebells last year and I don't think they're going to bloom this year. But they have a healthy crop of leaves. Karen and Ais if you mulch yours a little bit they should be happy and bloom next year. I'm trying to grow some from seed this year -- hope that works out.

Actually I feel better too knowing I didn't give a plant to a person it wasn't intended for. :)

Karen - that is the funniest thing posted so far concerning plant swaps! I constantly get asked to write articles about plant swaps and that issue will have to find its way into my next piece!! Along with people bringing back swappings that never got planted, from years ago, still in the original container,, still looking for a forever home...

Tietie - I want nothing but I have plenty of Thyme. Now I just have to remember to bring it.

I have so much stuff to bring. I'm ashamed I ever stated that we shouldn't use this swap as a dumping ground to relieve ourselves from the burden of watering during the drought. I'm afraid I will come off as a big hypocrite. None the less - lots of stuff is coming to the swap.

Oh, and my neighbor wants anything purple or hummingbird attracting....

Well I'm glad you have lots to bring John. I don't have nearly as much as I have in the past so now I can stop feeling guilty. If I was at home right now and able to dig it would be different. I guess I could bring back some swappings...no, that's another thing I would feel guilty about.

oh, and I'm up to my eyeballs in monarda 'cambridge scarlet' and also have salvia uliginosa.

Does anyone want green hawthorn? I have a bunch of seedlings. Nancy I think you wanted some. These like it wet.

Alicia and Karen, you can both rest easy. I got both my virginia bluebells that year so it must be that she got mine and I got hers so it all evened out :-)
John, it's not like anyone ever complains that there's just too many plants at those swaps. Dump away! I can always water in plants from my ponds and after they are established they fend for themselves anyways if the drought repeats itself.
I am bringing a little less this year too, or at least smaller plants. I didn't lose that much from the drought but a lot of my stuff didn't grow or shrank so I'm not dividing it.
I'm looking forward to Saturday!

Hey Karen I don't have you down for anything yet, what would you like?

Is anyone bringing a very low growing variety of thyme - the kind that only grows a couple of inches tall?

Dana, I have some thyme that reseeds for me that stays pretty low. I've had it a long time and don't know exactly what variety it is. I was planning on bringing some anyway so I'll put you and Tanya some aside.

Dana, i'll see if i can get another chunk of caraway thyme, since i'm digging it for somebody else, too. Nice pink flowers in spring.

I'm not bringing near as much general swap stuff as for past swaps simple because i've been so busy and haven't had time to dig. Plus, i don't think stuff has grown, seeded around, etc as much w/ the drought.

out of curiousity- what time do you think y'all will plan to get there for special swaps? I was thinking like 12:30, but wasn't sure... Will bring the flags again. If you took yours and can remember to bring it back, great.

Shari and Tammy - Thanks, what would you like in return?

I can't get there before 1:00 and have to leave right afterwards. I hate to grab and run, but it's a crazy busy day for us and everything I have going on is important. Not as important as the swap, of course! -Ais.

Dana, no trade just wanted to make sure you got it.

Ais, thank you for your support. BTW, I saw you had hellebores on your wish list. I've got a few little seedlings from one of my H. niger 'Nell Lewis strain' if you'd be interested. It's supposed to be a vigorous strain of H. niger, originating in Greensboro.

Root, the Gollum is small so I would feel bad about asking for a trade. I figure it all evens out in the end. And if not, we can settle up when we're 80.

John, I would never, ever, ever, never return something to the swap without repotting it first. Anybody who recalls a particular yogurt brand container should rest assured that it's only the container that's been recycled. If this doesn't sound legit, then I've got work to do tomorrow.

LOL Karen! Too funny! Is that like the regifting rule that you need to rewrap it? :) I looked around and tried to guess what you might like to even us up a little. I have a senecio that's a succulent called hot dog plant, not hardy, and a little houseplant that has adorable bulbs with freckled leaves, used to be scilla violacea, now it's a manfredia, i think. I also have some walking iris pups i could pot up, a pot of variegated french lavendar, which is ratty but will fill out nicely this summer, but isn't hardy, and some of that ornamental red leafed yellow flowered oxalis. Also, i could bring one of my pots of the puberula that i got at bb's, which i found the tag for that said z8, and is just labelled rosebud sage, if you'd like. BTW, I lost that cool sage that looked like a variegated koyame but plan to get more when i get down to bb's.

Dana no worries- it's a really small start. The dirt's gotten hard & dry again, just like that. If it's happy it'll take off and go, though. I've had mine for oh, about 14 years.

Deb, Karen & Alicia. I feel awful having to report this, but i was digging up those small rosette delizy starts and not a one of them had rooted for real. Dad gummed things really fooled me- they were stuck in but good and had new growth, but no real roots. So i went ahead and got them out of the ground and into little pots. They were well healed, nice & bumpy, and looked to be beginning the rooting process. I can either bring them and you can see if they'll root, or I can keep them here with plans to bring them come fall. Your choice- just let me know what you want me to do and if you want something else. The mother bush is getting ready to bloom and not really big, so i hate to do cuttings now. They supposedly do much better if taken after the first flush anyhow, so i may attempt to root more after that in june.

I may not get there until 1:30 or a little later. I have a bike ride in Clayton Sat. morning that's going off at 9:00. It should take a couple of hours. I will stagger in after a shower and chicken pickup!

Sally

Tammy, that's fine, we can hold off on the RD until fall.

Tammy, I can wait until fall for the RD as well. I'd love some of that red oxalis though, I always end up buying it and forget to bring any inside when it gets cold. And I'd love to take the variegated lavender and a bit of that Senecio off your hands too.

Tammy I can wait, no problem. Should have your Motherwort by then. It just dawned on me that you and I have no swaps going on this time. Durn that's a 1st, lol...

Karen, I'd like some H. niger seedlings. Is that for the coral honeysuckle or would you like something else, since Tammy is bringing you some?