I'm sooo interested but don't know where you are....I'm in winter garden and can't attend Silvia's party. Where is north port from Winter Garden??

Went to last year's swap - it's lots of fun. I plan to return again this year and bring 2 friends along. I don't know what type plants they will be bringing but I can bring: 1. wood fern 2. Hyacinth Bean starter plants (4") 3. dark purple Iris 4. Umbrella Plant cuttings 5. Regular Nandina starter plants (2 ltr size) 6. Black Eye Susan (4") Here's my wish list: 1. any trailing plant for pots. 2. anyone have river fern? 3. Castor Bean seeds/plants 4. Coreopsis 5. Columbine 6. lighter color iris to blend w/dark purple ones 7. any of the ornamental grasses except Pampas looking forward to the 28th Dorothy B.

Here is my list of items I'm bringing tomorrow: 1. I have six fairy roses in 4" pots: http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/earthkindroses/cultivars/the-fairy/ My fairy rose is in a place I do not water, and has spread, and bloomed prolifically. When I trimmed it in February, I found it had air layered and I potted up the baby plants then. drought tolerant, earthkind rose, pink blooms, that bloomed all year for me this last year. Dwarf rose that gets 4' and 4'wide, eventually. Mine took five years to reach this size. 2. I also have two large Texas Primrose Jasmine plants. (My original plant came from a SAPSwap back in 2005!) I was in Countryside Nursery this week, and they wanted $25 for a smaller plant than these I potted up a couple of months ago. http://www.countrysideaustin.com/2010/05/primrose-jasmine/ drought tolerant, sun or part shade, but blooms better with more sun. Will grow to 8' if you don't keep it trimmed. I keep mine 3' tall, and let them spread along fenceline. 3. Next I have about a dozen John Fanick Phlox. http://www.plantdelights.com/Phlox-paniculata-John-Fanick-John-Fanick-Garden-Phlox/productinfo/7383/#.UWgryZPEqxU They get about a foot or so tall, drought tolerant, and are perrenial and return each spring. Once they reach full height and start blooming, they keep blooming through fall. Great plant! I love 'em, and plant 'em everywhere I can in my yard. Again, they need full sun to bloom best. My lil yard only has a few places with full sun. Otherwise it would be covered in this phlox! 4. I also have several 4" pots of silver ponyfoot, Dichondra argentea: http://austinnativelandscaping.com/dichondra-argentea-silver-pony-foot-dichondra-kidneyweed/ Another drought tolerant, does well in sun or shade, spreads well, and is a great ground cover. I love the silver color. 5. I have three cuttings, only potted up last week, of Black Spanish Grape vines. http://www.willisorchards.com/product/Black+Spanish+Bunch+Grape+Vine#.UWgtV5PEqxU My husband fell in love with the wine Dry Comal Creek vineyard makes with Black Spanish grapes, and dreams of making his own. One day. 6. I also have Apple mint. My British mother-in-law swears Apple Mint is the correct mint to use for mint sauce with lamb or pork. 7. I have Greek Oregano. Yum. 8. I also have a metal bird bath, that I'll pass onto a new home. 9. And I have a variety of bottles, and packages of organic garden solutions that I bought to solve a specific problem and have never cleared out. Due to husband's wanting his garage to be garden goods free, I am clearing out the excess! I have orange oil (multiple bottles), vinegar, thuricide, fox urine [bought to put on eaves to discourage squirrels chewing wood], etc. And that is what I noticed just glancing in the first box. I have four boxes and baskets like that. My husband may have a point about my garden hoarding! :) Also a few nonorganic things like miracle grow. Maybe unused because I try to be organic. 10. And more plants galore. I am so sorry I couldn't make it to our SAPS swap last weekend. I am really looking forward to talking plants with my fellow gardeners tomorrow. Also, I will give a tour of our community garden, if anyone would like to check it out. I can hardly wait for tomorrow! TexanGal aka Heather

Good Friday morning!!! Donna, ((((((HUGS)))))) sorry the news isn't so great about your dad but I am glad he has mostly good days. I hope you all will be able to enjoy what time he has left and not see him in pain. I am glad he has good pain meds and that you like the oncologist. As of this morning I am looking for a new vet. I love this one and do trust her opinion and she is an excellent vet except......her bedside manner. She was over two hours late (not unusual and I understand) but she roars in jumps out and starts sticking my animals with needles! Okay, I had a few minutes to discuss my concerns over the vaccinations. She agreed to let me split them up in two visits so that the immune system wouldn't be so shocked! That just indicates to me that she is aware of the issues I am bringing up! She never took vitals - this is an annual visit mind you- and the only place she touched them was at the vaccination sites! She will be back next week to do the second half but after that I don't know what I am going to do. She just isn't warm and fuzzy around my horses and they react to her is a tense and stressed out manner. Enough said on that!! My girlfriend whose mare got her shots yesterday (all at once) is having a bad reaction and isn't eating! I hope she will be alright. The rest of the afternoon was glorious however. The weather has turned absolutely spectacular and DH and I enjoyed the afternnon outside with the animals ( I groomed because they are shedding like crazy) and our neighbor came over with out of town company to see the animals and DH brought the donkeys out for them to play with. All the while, momma fox was in the back of the field playing with her two kits AND another full grown fox was there too! We think it might be the sire as sometime the male fox will stay around to assist in the rearing of the kits but not always. Mind you this is an uneasy relationship because I have chickens that they would love. The chicks are secured however and the fox is smart enough to know she can't get them. Anyway, it was a splendid afternoon. I hope you all have a chance to check in. QOD: What's up for this weekend?