Great Plains, here is that same photo with some IDs attached. It's amazing when I study it, how different it is now. This photo is probably the best it ever looked. In reality it was a re-seeding nightmare. Yarrow and blue fescue were taking over everything, and it just looked like a mess most of the time. The Karl Foester plants got sooo huge and even the once-per-year cutting back was a big chore. And there were zero shrubs to anchor the scene and provide some order. So I've kept the well-behaved grasses, added masses of coneflowers (most of which have planted themselves at this point), allowed well-behaved self-seeders (penstemon, blue flax, ratibida, some catananche), and added a lot of shrubs. I took out 100% of the yarrow and blue fescue because they can't seem to exist in moderation. I can imagine that you would have great luck with penstemon. I sure do love them in all their forms and colors. Before you get too excited about coneflowers (echinacea) beware that they drink a lot of water. More than I thought. But I still love them so they will stay, and in time they will be pushed out by the shrubs and there won't be quite so many. Are the photos you posted with the blue adobe house in the background your place? It's fantastic and so regionally appropriate! A garden in these parts must have ornamental grasses if you ask me!

Look for this book -- Grasses: Versatile Partners for Uncommon Garden Design" by Nancy J. Ondra, Saxon Holt (Photographer). It sells for about $16 through Amazon. The book has lots of incredible photos of ornamental grasses in gardens mixed with other plants. It's also a good reference on grasses. Some plant combinations that stand out include Russian Sage w/ various Miscanthus varieties. Also, Golden Hakone Grass with hostas and other shade perennials. In my garden, I have combined Miscanthus (Adagio) with Russian Sage and Black-Eyed Susans to good effect. Blue Fescues seem to go well with various sedums. I combined Golden Hakone in a shade bed with impatiens, hostas, dwarf iris and a Japanese red maple (Garnet).

Trades are getting slimmer. I've been weeding out the plants I don't want over the past few years and haven't got enough of the plants I like to be able to divide much. Hope that changes in a year or two! I can bring: My seed stash 1 black walnut seedling Daylilies (unknown type but definitely not ditch lilies) Mums (yellow) Black eyed susans Grape hyacinth bulbs Lycoris bulbs Small flowered coreopsis seedlings Russian sage cuttings (roots easily in water during the spring) Star of Bethlehem bulbs (can be VERY invasive and is very poisonous to dogs and cats but perhaps in a pot it wouldn't be too bad) Hyacinthoides (wood hyacinth)-white I may not get to dig all of these (time is getting short), so let me know if you want something and I'll make sure I bring it. Diana Lynn

Chiming in late - planning to come with all I can manage, but this year's swap comes after a very busy week. Please be sure to let me know if you especially want any of these things, since I doubt I'll manage to bring them all! hostas (quite a few different types, unlabelled) fig cuttings from great Greek variety (not rooted) COLUMBINES (aguilegia) lots, mostly pale lilac, some darker daffodils (mostly yellow, also white with orange centers) French tarragon (Artemisia dracanculus) (up to 4 divisions) dill seedlings (Anethum graveolens) 1 ornamental sage I have the following, and would be happy to try carefully digging some for trades, but am not certain they will survive transplant borage (Borago officinalis) poppies river birch seedlings (Betula negra) I have lots of these, but will not bring them unless someone asks for some: periwinkle (vinca) St John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) ferns of unknown variety I'm looking forward to seeing everyone again! Leah