And I thought I had it bad! Here's the beginning of my rock garden ten years ago. It's due for a major renovation this winter. The rocks are fine, but it has gotten overgrown over the years. Mike

Christine, if Zee's tulip poplar doesn't make it (and Suja decides to stay where she is instead of moving closer in), there is a source in Bowie as well. I got one last fall that did well after transplant but didn't make it through the winter. The person I got them from has many more seedlings/saplings, and I'm sure we could go get one if we ask. You can come dig my spirea (and some hosta) whenever you like. There is a big spirea that has your name on it now. (Sigh of relief!) I'll bring some parts of smaller ones to the swap though, in case anyone else wants some. And I'll try to remember the fork, but if I forget it you can have it when you come get the spirea..oh, wait, maybe I should hold the fork hostage, and you can use it to dig up the spirea.. =) Lynne

Hi all, I've seen a lot of tomato and pepper swaps, and "edibles" swaps here on GW, but I think it will be fun for me to host one focusing on Greens & Salads for St Pats!! I've done a salad swap on GW before, a few years back. Rules: Newbies welcome, but if your email address is blocked, you won't be able to participate in this. Your seeds must arrive by St. Patricks Day (March 17). I won't hold up the swap for late seeds. They must be in a bubble mailer big enough to hold all your seeds, with a little extra room to spare. Please enclose a return address label and also enough return postage to get your seeds back to you... Whatever it costs to send it in, please include that much in the way of stamps so I can send it back. If your package winds up more than .15 short on postage I won't be able to send it back to ya, cause I live on a tight budget! No more than 3 packs of the same kind of seeds, please. Minimum 5 packs, maximum 20 seed packs per person. Seeds should be no older than 2007 unless kept in a refrigerated seed bank. Heirlooms and hybrids are both OK. If hybrid, they need to be commercial, not saved seed because otherwise they may not grow. The seeds should be for things you might use in a salad or its dressing, such as lettuces (NOT Iceberg though please). Purple cabbage, mesclun or "baby greens" mix, arugula, watercress, radishes, salad-dressing herbs like oregano, sage, parsley and marjoram, green onions, garlic and chives also are all good. Also welcome are cooking greens, including Asian greens like tat soi and choi sum, spinach, broccoli raab, kale, turnip greens and mustards, goosefoot, asparagus, etc. In this swap, MILD salad peppers (no hots!) are welcome too, as are cherry tomatoes (no big tomatoes, we want salad-specific bite sized ones.) Edible annual flowers that can be used in a salad like borage, salad burnet, fennel, violet, pansy, calendula, etc are welcome too. (No perennials such as roses!) Please include a list of what you are sending, so I can hopefully avoid sending you too many seeds that are identical to what you sent in. Include a wishlist of the 3 things you'd most like to get. Send packets with at least 10 seeds per pack, more is better but 10 is ok. Seeds must be clearly labeled (variety name, year packaged, and your GW ID so I don't send you your own seeds.) Growing info such as sun/shade is good too, but not required. If we don't get at least 12 participants signed up here by March 7, this swap will not "make". But I think we can get 12! :) Let's all March into some Green fun together with this swap! Post here if you'd like to join and make sure your email is not blocked. :) Thanks, grovespirit

Momof2 (another early riser, eh?) - I don't know how much longer. I'm anticipating another... 3ish weeks? Things got delayed early on, and I think the time has now gone into the schedule where my contractor has other jobs started - he'd anticipated being done with me by now - so I'm not getting him & his guys every day.. I'm hoping that countertops will go in end of next week - but the following week might be more likely. I think the sink will go in a few days after that - maybe when sink goes in, DW will & range, too. That's when I'll have a functional kitchen. Other than that, there some finishing work & electric to be done. The backsplash, I think will wait until the end, pretty much. Also, there's exterior work to be done. I need a new set of steps built for that back yard, and new door needs stucco (or whatever) added around it. I think that builder guy is coming sometime next week to work on the steps. I am so thrilled with my kitchen! Even if I don't really get to use it, I sit on my couch and just gaze at it.