Hi Tara!
Wow, that is a lot of news. I'm glad you decided to still hold the swap. No one will care about how the house looks! We have all moved before.
I have no problem with the date and will be able to attend : )
Remy

Yeah! Go Tara! Thanks for hosting the swap again, you have such a great place for it.

For those who are new, we do a "regular" plant swap and also "pre-arranged" plant swaps. Pre-arrange means you can post things that you are looking for and things that you have. Then through posts or email you can arrange to do specific swaps with others when you get there. Many people just come for the "regular" swap, where we (almost)have a free-for-all of gobs of plants to choose from! It's loads of fun.

Ok, I haven't updated my swap list from last year, but it's mostly the same. Everyone can post their lists on their "exchange page", or just put in this post. I will be updating my list over the next month or so with more plants I am ready to divide.

Tara good luck with your house sale! You are sure going to be busy!

I look forward to seeing everyone there!

Here is a link that might be useful: gottagarden's exchange page

Tara,

Good luck on the house hunt! I'm sure no one cares what state of discord the house is in, it's understandable.

I think I'll be able to attend this year. I've got to see what survived out in the garden from last year. I have a feeling it was a bad year for plants in my yard. The voles took out a lot of stuff out front, and the October storm seemed to be hard on the backyard stuff. But if anyone wants some of those tall tiger (ditch) lilies, please let me know, nothing seems to kill them and the few plants my mother in law gave me a few years ago are a bit much in the spot they're in. I might have some named daylilies whose names are lost for all time, and maybe some columbine (voles willing), or some other stuff. Going to be pot luck.

Speaking of which, I'm thinking of bringing a dessert.

Terrific Tara! I'm so pleased that you want to fit this year's swap into the hubbub of a major move. The pulmonaria I got from you at last year's swap is blooming right now and really lovely. See you all in June!
Ruthie

Thanks Tara. This will be my first time attending and swapping with you good folks so please, Tara, I will need directions/map in May '07 from Williamsville area of Amherst. A little info on what sized pots are exchanged, small-med-lg gallon sz? or whatever would be helpful.
Ginny B.

Hi Tara,
I hope to return to your plant swap this June after missing it last year. I will need directions from Yates County to your house. Looking forward to a fun day, great plants and seeing gardenweb friends from over the past few years,
Hoagie

Oh how exciting! Glad to see Ruth, Brenda and Val posting already.

Hoagie,
It will be great to have you attend again. You were missed last year. I was just thinking of you with the colchicum foliage coming up around my husband's gargoyle.

Ginny,
I'm glad to see you posting about attending also! The plants range from little starts all the way to very large containers. Don't worry about plants not being large enough, unusual enough, etc. to not be swapped. What you may have lots of, others don't : )

Remy

Yes Please, Tara.
Like Ginny B, this will also be my first time attending and swapping. I will need directions from Buffalo and a little info on how the exchange works would be helpful.
Jerry

Tara, congrats on your new house.

I, too, just bought a new house. Our first house for new hubby and I. We're scheduled to close in the next two weeks and will most likely be in packing/moving chaos by the time of the swap. So I'll have to decline the swap this year.

I'll be too busy just trying to dig up my own gardens to move! But I do want to attend next year.

I think perhaps the Buffalo gardeners could pick a park or some other location in this area to have a swap next year, for those that don't want to drive out to the Rochester area.

Tracy

Hey Tara,
Count me in too! I have made so many major moves from one side of the country to another that I thought that was just part of life.....Hey we aren't there to check out the condition of the house. We are there to see old friends get new plants and have a great time. Maybe the new owners will want to come too LOL!

Ginny, So glad you are going to jump on the bandwagon. We have a fantastic time and I really hate the fact that Tara will be moving but we all have to do what we have to do. There is absolutely no limit on plant or pot size. I have brought little seedlings and bigger pots and even seed packs. There is also no minimum or maximum number of plants to bring. Sometimes I only have a few and sometimes I have more. Not sure what i will have this year but I will have Salvia coccineas, the species and Coral Nymph. Possibly some Agastache Double Bubblemint and maybe Sonoran Sunset. I might also have some Great Blue Lobelia.

If anyone has any offsets of Royal Red buddleia I am very much interested.

I am going to bring a veggie platter.

One thought on location for next year....possibly one of the rest stops between Buffalo and Rochester...I have seen lots of people that use them for family reunions as they are easy for everyone to access and there is no fee to use them like there may be at some parks.

Penny

Hi Tara, My sister and I will be there. I plan on bringing a macaroni salad. Can't wait, thankyou so much for having it again.
Linda

I will bring a dessert :-)

I am looking for candelabra primrose or drumstick primrose. I have LOTS to trade for, including lilies, etc. If anyone has some, that would be great!

See you all soon.

Hi all,
Glad to see all the respondents so far! : )
It is going to be a great time as usual.

Brenda,
I've got drumstick primrose 'Blue' and p. beesiana, not alot, but I can bring you some. I've also got a little bit of Angelina sedum too.
Remy

Last year I might have promised someone the dwarf false goatsbeard I had, but didn't bring much of. I say had because it was wiped out by a huge willow log and a lot of standing water after the October storm. I also lost a nice siberian bugloss, spiderwort (tradescantia), dwarf tradescantia, foamflower and some japanese primrose from the same area. So if you were expecting it, fair warning that it no longer exists in my yard.

If anyone has any japanese primrose to swap, I would be very appreciative. I seem to have trouble finding any out here. Also any iris, esp. (but not limited to) siberian iris (a bunny munched my 'caesar's brother' to the ground yesterday)or solomon's seal.

I do have lots of sweet woodruff, coneflower, black-eyed susan, pulmonaria, some hosta (including some itty bitty variety 3" across that I will try to get the name of), forget-me-not, daylily, columbine, geranium, and a bunch of other assorted plants I can bring. I'll probably start digging this weekend so that they can get over transplant shock before the swap.

Tara I am very glad you are having the plant swap again. Always a good time and I look forward to attending. I havent posted in a very long time but I hope someone remembers me from previous swaps. I've been working a lot of O.T. lately and I cant wait for the swap! I cant cook so maybe I could bring plates, cups or something of that nature. let me know. Glen.

So glad to see so many familiar faces and new ones too! (Glen how could we forget you with your awesome grasses???)

So I've just sent an email to everyone who's RSVP'd with the plant swap information. I also sent directions to everyone who emailed me or posted to say what they'd bring to the pot luck. If you haven't recieved directions today, it means I'm waiting to hear what you are bringing for the pot luck before I send directions. You probably recieved an email requesting that info! :) Also, so far no one has RSVP'd for the Chinese swap, so if you want to participate in it, please let me know, otherwise we'll have to cancel it for this year.

As far as our house situation, we are still moving. In three weeks it seems. But after looking for nearly 3 months, we were unable to find a house we liked on the east side of Rochester, so we ended up moving just a few towns over from where we are now to Hamlin, NY (MaryB, now you know why I emailed you!!). So if people don't mind the drive, (it's a bit further for the Buffalo folks, but still do-able I think and it's closer for the Rochester folks), looks like I can continue to host if you'll all have me! :) Yay!!

OK, so here's the details for the swap:

Following are the details regarding this year's swap, please be sure to email me back to tell me what you are bringing to the pot luck and if you'll be participating in the Chinese Swap.
Details:

DATE: JUNE 3, 2006

TIME: 11am

WHERE: Gaines/Albion NY, my house. Directions will be emailed when I receive confirmation of what you are bringing for the pot luck.

WHAT TO EXPECT: The swap will be pretty much the same as years past...we'll have prearranged swaps and the plant swap first, then a pot luck and a Chinese swap. PLEASE BE SURE TO RSVP FOR THE CHINESE SWAP AS WELL AS WHAT YOU WILL BE BRINGING TO THE POTLUCK!!

THE SWAP WILL CONSIST OF:

PREARRANGED TRADES/GIFTS: I encourage people who are looking for specific plants, to work out prearranged trades with other attendees. Hopefully most of us have trade lists up on Garden web. This is a great way to find plants that you are looking for and/or find homes for plants that you have. I'll start a thread about what people are bringing, so that may be a good spot to post about possible trades. Also this is the time for anyone who may have brought a plant with someone specific in mind without wishing anything in return to give their plant to that person.

GENERAL PLANT SWAP: The method of swapping in past years seemed to work well for the general swap so I think I will use that same plan this year. (Unless of course there are any strong objections) As people arrive, they will be given a number (I may do this consecutively or have people draw from a hat, I'm not sure yet.) Once the swap begins, the person with number one will select one plant. Then the person with number two will select a plant, then number three, and so on. Once we are all the way through, we will start over again. If you reach a point that you no longer want anything, you may opt out of the trade at that point. Any extras/leftovers will be up for grabs for anyone.

OPTIONAL CHINESE SWAP: There will also be an optional Chinese swap. I will explain this again for those of you who do not know what it is. In a Chinese swap, everyone brings a wrapped gift of a set value. Every one participating draws a number out of a hat. Once all the numbers are drawn, number one picks and unwraps a gift. Number two can then either pick a new gift or take number one's gift. If #2 chooses #1's gift, number one gets to pick a new wrapped gift from the table. Next, number three can pick a wrapped gift from the table or #1 or #2's gift, if #3 takes one of the unwrapped gifts, then whoever she took it from takes another wrapped gift and opens it. This continues until the last person goes...who either picks anyone of the unwrapped gifts or the last remaining wrapped gift. The basic rule is if someone takes your gift, you can only pick from the wrapped gifts, not from the other unwrapped gifts. I know this sounds confusing, but it is a lot of fun, and very funny!!! If you would like to participate in this, please bring with you a wrapped garden-related gift with a value of $10-$15. (Again, if people think the price limitation is off, please let me know). If you are still confused, let me know, and I will try to explain it better. Also, when you RSVP, let me know if you are going to participate in this so I can be sure we will have enough people for it.

POTLUCK: There will also be a potluck meal at the swap. I am asking everyone to bring one dish to pass. If you do not like to cook, there are many acceptable alternatives (i.e. soda, chips/dip, plates/napkins, etc.), please feel free to ask me for suggestions if you can not decide what to bring or can't think of anything. Please also include what you will bring to the potluck with your RSVP , so that I can be sure that we have all areas accounted for and not 20 pasta salads but no drinks or anything else!

Here's what people have signed up to bring thus far:

Gottagarden - Dessert
Hammerl - Dessert
virgiebaby165 - Pasta Salad and Dessert
Penny - Veggie Platter
Lucy925 - Mac Salad
Glen - Plates/cups/napkins
MagicMan2u - Potato Salad
Me (garden_frog) - Hot dogs/hamburgers

TIME TO GET TO KNOW OTHER GARDENERS IN THE AREA: The best part of the swap is that it gives us all a chance to get to know other garden "nuts" in the area. There will be plenty of time for people to chat and visit.

RSVP: If you are planning on attending the swap, you must let me know as I will not be posting directions to my home over the internet. If you have received this via email, you are on my list. However, if you are reading this on Garden Web, and have not received an email from me, you are not on the list. Please contact me so I can ensure you are not left out!!! IMPORTANT: For those of you I do have on the list...please be sure to email me about what you are bringing to the pot luck and let me know if you wish to participate in the Chinese swap (both of which are explained previously).

MORE DETAILS AND MISC. INFORMATION:

What to bring to the swap: Please feel free to bring any plants you would like, of any size. Trees and shrubs are also acceptable. Other garden related items are also welcome including garden tools, books, seeds, bird feeders, etc.

How to package your plants: I ask that all plants come in a LABELED container of some kind. It does not have to be a pot, but it should be something that contains the plant and will allow the plant to stay healthy despite exposure to sun. Bareroot plants will not survive the day in the sun at my house! Also, please be sure to label your plants with AS MUCH information as possible. Some things to list: Common name, scientific name, sun/shade exposure, color, care instructions, your name or email (so that people can contact you with questions), etc. Please be sure that your plants are watered before they get here!

What else should I bring? I ask that every person attending bring (and wear) their own name tag listing BOTH their gardenweb name and what they would like to be called by. I'll have plenty of blanks on hand for anyone who needs them. If you can, please bring a folding chair or lawn chair of some sort...I have some, but I'm sure I don't have enough! Anyone with extra folding tables, please bring them along. I have a few, but I am sure I don't have enough. Also, it's a good idea to bring boxes or plastic sheets of some sort to transport you plants home in!

Parking: When you arrive, feel free to come down the driveway and unload your plants. Once you have unloaded your plants, please drive back down the driveway and down the street to the grass driveway on our side yard. I will have flags or cones or something else marking the spot so you will know where to go. Please do not drive across the lawn from the driveway to the parking area on our side yard as there is a low spot where the cars sink in. If you are unsure where to park or how to get there, just ask me when you arrive.

Just an FYI: We're in the process of moving so excuse the mess and general disorder! And, just to let you all know, I have three dogs. They are extremely friendly dogs, but they do love to greet new visitors. If you are very afraid of or allergic to dogs, please let me know in advance so that I can anticipate your needs.

Tara

I forgot I have to make something!! lol But I didn't forget who Glen was : )
Remy

I'll be there too!!! I should be bringing some sweet autumn clematis, sensation cosmos, candy lilies, easter lilies and whatever else i can salvage from the garden.

The Chinese swap is on. I've got several people who emailed yesterday and today saying they'd like to participate so it's on. If you want to participate, just bring a wrapped gift with a value of $10-$15.

Can't wait to see you all Sunday!!!

Tara,
I didn't get the email, unless it went straight to the junk folder and I missed it. Please send it again. If you have an updated list of what food everyone is bringing, please tell me. I still have to decide what to make.
Thanks,
Remy

My wife and I will be bringing either a baked bean dish called Calico Beans, or a Greek Orzo pasta salad.
I am a beginner gardener, so I don't have a big variety of things to bring, but I am looking forward to the exchange.
Thanks for hosting while you are packing up for the move!

Remy, I just resent it to you. Let me know if you didn't get it as that probably means I have the wrong email address! :) If you can, just send me an email if you didn't get it as I will see that sooner than if you post on here! I'm hoping to spend most of the day outside to finish up last minute weeding (not that the gardens will be weed free or anything) and start potting up my plants. But I'll be checking email periodically throughout the day.