I'm hosting one in Rutherfordton, NC on August 27th. This is near the Biltmore, Asheville, the Blue Ridge Parkway . . many lovely sights to see. So far 71 people have responded. I look very forward to meeting many GW people, friends I've come to know 'on here', no Newbie will go home empty handed, working on how to keep confusion to a minimum now (going to send an Update letter so prearranged swaps/rides can be set up now, also want name tags worn -- any suggestions very welcome) especially since August is a common VAC month (gardeners divide perennials, some will wish to totally do away with plants to make space for new cultivars, go through seeds to plan next year's garden and much more), many are taking the week or weekend to come to the swap from afar and then visit friends in the area and/or VAC. All is open to swap -- plants, seeds, tools, birdhouses, gourds, magazines, books . . . if you can fit it in the car and want to trade may be the time. Katie

I wouldn't plant any of those in the ground, except maybe the bay laurel. I've had one in a pot for years now, in Olympia, which is a bit colder than Seattle. But, it gets shoved into a slightly sheltered corner in the winter, and being in a pot it's not subjected to the waterlogging that plants in the ground get in our cold wet winters. Of citrus, grapefruit is much more frost tender than oranges or lemons. Lemons are quite frost hardy actually, but still not enough to plant in the ground up here. They need to come inside in the winter. Grapefruit need a LOT of heat, much more than Seattle will give. I don't know much about the kaffir lime. Coffee can take a very light frost, but we get actual hard freezes here. It went down to 9 degrees at my house two different nights in late December, and that's not terribly unusual. Our ground was frozen hard when it started to snow. I got over a foot of snow, and there was enough snow on the ground to make the roads impassible to my ordinary little car for 10 days. The snow is gone, but now the soil is waterlogged, and very cold. Most of the plants on your list won't take that. Ficus religiosa is just plain tropical. It will not tolerate frost. I'd leave them behind. You can buy the bay laurel at any nursery up here. You can buy citrus and coffee for houseplants as well. I know that Buddhist temples like to have a Ficus religiosa planted on the grounds, but I don't know what temples in cold areas do about that. There's one in town but I've never gone there to check it out.

2nd Annual ‘Shovel Prune’ PLANT SWAP 17625 S.E. Foster Rd. Gresham, OR 97080 April 25, 2015 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon Rain or shine, gardeners gather to share and exchange plants and knowledge with all. The Plant Swap is hosted at Pleasant Valley Grade School. Then main parking lot is on Richey Road just north of Foster. The site offers parking, and a small breezeway area with restrooms. Contact: Duane Werner, cell phone: 503-784-4528 Or email at duane_werner@frontier.com THIS IS HOW IT WORKS: NO SALES, Only exchanges and freebies, please. Tailgating Encouraged. Bring your plants from Propagation; grown from seeds, shovel pruned, reseeded plants, or extras from a large nursery purchase. Size doesn’t matter. The format for the trade is like a tailgate party. Traders exchange expert gardening information as well as plant materials. In two hours all the deals are sealed. We have plenty of parking. Label your plants with botanical and common names, color, height, width, etc. if possible. Pictures are also great. FREE STUFF: The last half hour (11:30–12:00) you MAY be able to pick up some free plants from gardeners that are willing to give it away. Many gardeners generously share plants from the abundance of their gardens. This is an excellent way to begin your garden and an excellent way to thin out that giant patch of Shasta Daisies, etc. WHAT IF YOU HAVE NOTHING TO TRADE: Cookies and chocolate work like money at the Plant Swap! Rain or shine, gardeners gather to share and exchange plants and knowledge with all.

Looking for plant and or seeds swaps.