Connie---did you take any pictures of the party ?? Would love to see them if you did. Florence

I've been collecting up a few each of a number of plants to bring to Sunday's swap. I haven't heard much as far as requests so for the most part, I'm bringing plants that will eventually be discarded as I clean up overgrown flower beds. Bromiliads I'm bringing 5 different types of bromiliads. Two of them appear to be varieties of Billbergia nutans (one with spots on the leaves and one without)- QueenÂs Tears, Friendship Plant, Hardy Queen's Tears, Hardy Friendship Plant. I found this bromeliad at DaveÂs Garden at: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2116/ . A third one is varigated and may be the one pictured on the following page: http://www.rainforestflora.com/bromcare.htm The other two I believe are fairly common, Matchstick Plant , and one with dark green leaves and a large red ball of flowers. Iris I've pulled up a number of walking iris, white with purple. I believe they're called Apostle Plant. I've also got a couple of yellow ones. Salvias I dug up two each of the following salvias. I'm not sure how they'll look tomorrow as I usually cut off most of the plant when transplanting them. I've left most of the plant so you can see what the plant looks like including the blooms. Black and Blue Salvia - Salvia guarantica Belize Sage - Salvia miniata Tropical Sage - Salvia coccinea (red and Pink varieties) Indian Curry tree Coral Bean Tree (also have seeds) Red Chinese Hat Heliconia - Red with yellow flowers Red Canna - one plant, plenty of seeds 4 O'Clock seeds (pink) yellow flowerng plant available upon request. one blue Plumbago 2 Ruttya fruticosa - Hummingbird Plant or Rabbit Ears cuttings of 2 varieties of purple firespike That's if they'll all fit in my car. I've update my wish list: Amaryllis bulbs - all we have is red ones Bromiliads Orchids Heliconias Begonias: wax and angle wing Peppers - My wife and son are on a big pepper kick so I could use some of them. All I have is a serano. Ocra - My wife is also on a pickling kick and loves Ocra. Almost any flowering plant, especially if it flowers in the winter Steve Here is a link that might be useful: Billbergia nutans

Hey Amber, How you doing(??)hope you had a good trip. Hey, saw that fabulous new ginger plant you posted pics of today, wow really cool!! Been really busy at work and doing house projects so haven't had time to tidy up out in the garden "jungle",(the plan is to work on it this weekend...) but you can come buy any Sat or Sunday that's convienent for you, just let us know what your schedule is like. I might be going out of town this Saturday so other than that we're usually arround. We got lots of goodies that need thinning out(!!) hope you have room for a few more things! Well, talk to ya later, thanks, Terry.

I haven't commented on the swap yet because I've been assuming that I'll have to work on Saturday but it appears as though there is some hope that I'll get the day off now. I started a couple cuttings each of a number of plants when this was first discussed. I've also picked up a couple more plants for swap along the way. I'm always willing to dig up extras or take cuttings of just about anything in my yard if I get requests. Plants in Pots: A couple of each of three firespikes Salvia purpurea 'Lavender Lace' Pineapple Sage - Salvia elegans Mexican Bush Sage - Salvia leucantha Bat-faced Cuphea - Cuphes llava - two varieties Cigar flower - Cuphea ignea 'David verity' Schuman's Cuphea - Cuphea schumanii Coral honeysuckle - Lonicera sempervirens Cape Honeysuckle - Tecomaria capensis Mexican Flame Vine Trumpet Vine - Campsis Radicans Mexican Oregano Indian Curry Tree seedlings Flowering Maple - Abutilon pictum I can also dig up many young/small plants including: a red and yellow heliconia Belize sage - Salvia miniata Red or Pink Salvia coccineas Fire Cracker Flowers (Russelia equisitiformis and sarmentosas) Various shrimp plants Lavender Scallops - kalenchoes Chinese Hat I can also bring cuttings of any of the previously mentioned plants. I've got plenty of seeds from the Salvia coccineas as well from cypress vine and coral bean (Erythrina herbacea). I'm looking for: heliconias Angelwing begonias Golden Shrimp Plant bromiliads gingers sages and salvias butterfly nectaring flowers anything tropical looking, preferably winter-blooming, and not too large (?) Steve (Rowdy) in Valrico