There are many, many people who love to watch butterflies as they flit through the air slowly and gracefully. If you never have, you certainly should! Butterflies provide beauty in an often ugly world. They give us insight into the world of nature and how wonderful and complex it is. But the butterfly is much more than that. Butterflies are some of the most beautiful and interesting creatures on Earth. A butterfly garden is an easy way to see more butterflies and to help them, since many natural butterfly habitats have been lost to human activities like building homes, roads and farms. It is easy to increase the number and variety of butterflies in your yard. Creating a butterfly garden should start with some serious research to learn which kinds of butterflies are native to your area. You can learn that from this book âÂÂAttract Butterflies To Your GardenâÂÂ. Here are some points you should focus: Make a list of all of the different kinds of butterflies you would like to attract, and then learn which flowers and plants they both feed on and lay eggs on. Plant the âÂÂButterfly Host Plantsâ to lay their eggs on. You can add some butterfly garden accessories like a Butterfly House, which has slots the ideal size for keeping birds out while giving butterflies protection from the wind and weather, and are beautiful garden decorations. You could offer an additional nectar source close by to supplement your flowers. Once you have designed and started your butterfly garden, you can be proud that you have made a habitat for butterflies in your own yard, which helps with the conservation of the many species of quickly disappearing butterflies today. You will certainly want to place your favorite outdoor furniture near so that you can enjoy all of your visitors day after day. Here is a link that might be useful: Attract Butterflies To Your Garden

I go to several swaps and each one is a little different. They all have in common that you bring whatever plants you want to share. I have not been to a theme swap but that could be done, ie: hostas, everyone brings only hostas to share. Some include trading other garden items, books, magazines, pots, potting mix, etc. None of them asks for a list of plants. When a known group of people are getting together including lists can be helpful. Not requiring lists adds to the surprise find and flexiblity. Trades are generally not worked out ahead although sometimes that is done informally. Some swaps are more structured than others. One is a free for all. Everyone brings items to swap and put them behind their car in a big parking lot. People go from one car to another choosing what they want. This continues until all items are gone or until the end of the swap. Swappers are to take home any items they brought that others did not take. This is not a one for one swap as some people bring many items just wanting to share. Others are very structured. Items are placed in an area and swaps are done in rounds. After items are placed each person is asked to tell about the items that are being shared. This is an opportunity for all to see what is available and what they will choose during the rounds. Round 1 each person chooses one item. Everyone goes to pick up their one item at the same time. Round 2, two items. Round 3, three items. Round 4, choose as many items as one wishes. Some swaps include visiting and food (potluck) before or after. However you set up your swap I'm sure you will have fun.

Plant swaps of this sort rarely work, as pointed out by Beth it takes days to get to you and if you wait until the packages come in so that you can match plants to people who want them, then you may be talking weeks. If you wish to do a plant swap, simply get folks to send you their names and addresses and then swap those names with other participents. Include their GW names so that senders can look over wants lists, Hope this helps, Les

I just got a package from another swap and it was so much fun that I'd like to do another. You are very brave to take this on around the busy holidays! I'll watch the board for the rules. Thanks!