Yeah Holly, absolutely! The BSM are a little beat up from the hail they took, but, if you can get past their initial "ugliness" right now, they will be fine, I promise. Theres also a couple that sprang up in the flat that I started my gladiolus in cuz I re-used some soil, so, if they come out okay when I take the flowers out of that tray I will have some not-so-coleslaw looking ones, too.

I will definitely get you a Nineveh.

Nunchucks - I'll see if I have any valerian, we've been eliminating it from our yard but still get a few seedlings here and there. If you change your mind about the diascia - at any time - just let me know.

Zach, FYI - if the OB tomatoes didn't take I'll be happy with one of any variety. Like oakiris, I didn't get my veggies started this year - I was distracted by a lot of foster dog drama. I also see a trip to the nursery for veggie plants in my future.... :)

OB's are looking good Amy, in fact, other than the BSM's, the tomatoes barely took a hit from that hail... now my poor peppers on the other hand.... I just keep willing them to grow FASTER! Course, after being so wet all this time (I haven't watered in over a week and they STILL are soaking wet) they are lagging even more than peppers usually do.

Thank you, Zach! I really like tomatoes and see no problem with filling up my yard with them, lol, but have to save room for other plants as well.

I am really looking forward to the swap. By then hopefully the monsoon season will be in the past and we can all complain about the lack of rain. The hail can go away, too, but unfortunately that threat remains....

Holly

What perennials are left unclaimed?

No problem Holly. I don't know if monsoon season will be over, supposed to be a cool, wet summer this year. I hear you on the hail, from my recollection, late May and early June is usually the worst of it, so, it hasn't really even hit it's stride yet.

Oh, and Amy, if you want more than one tomato plant, you're more than welcome. I should be bringing quite a few veggie starts.

Yep, hail is part of life and gardening in Colorado and elsewhere in this region. Apparently May is one of our wettest months here in Colorado. The month is certainly living up to its reputation this year, and more rain is expected this weekend, just as my backyard has finally emerged from its underwater sojourn. And a cool, wet summer is not what either I or my garden wants, lol, not that Mama Nature cares. (I picked a really good year to start using a manual reel lawn mower, didn't I?!? Needless to say, I have been unable to mow the recommended two or three times a week thus far this spring.)

Holly

Thanks in advance for the tomatoes, Zach!
kvenkat, check back over my posts, any other perennials you want are still up for grabs.
Nunchucks, I found a few valerian seedlings, I'll pot them up!

I just hope we, that are far away, will benefit from a live blog of the event.

Zach, I would appreciate any of your extra tomato plants also. I'm flexible on which ones!

Treebarb, Thank you for thinking of me on the tomatoes also. I'm hoping to put in at least 6. So far I have 0!

Almost forgot...This Saturday is the worldwide March against Monsanto if anyone is interested in going. I will be there waving that flag! Gotta fight those GMO's! The rally starts at 11:00 on the capital steps. The march through downtown Denver starts at 12:00.

So! Just a rehash for my own memories sake.

Amy: Hot Lemon pepper, Orange Blossom tomato, and any other, you can pick through them there I imagine.

Barb: Raspberries

Holly: Nineveh and Black Sea Man tomato

Cat: Tomatoes (any particular variety, or just what I happen to have on hand when I show up?)

DID I MISS ANYONE!?! Please let me know, I would feel bad if someone made off with a plant I promised you!

Zach, I would like to try a Nineveh if you still have an extra. or whatever!

Cat,

I've set aside 2 tomatoes for you, a Beefsteak and an Amana Orange.

Zach, thank you for the raspberries!

I'm going to update my bring list, but not until later in the weekend when I have some time to go through the flats.

As a first-year wannabe gardener, I am bringing peaches from Palisade that I canned last summer. If anyone wants to swap a plant for a half-gallon of peaches, I'd be so so so grateful.

Peaches for plants.

Jani,

Home canned peaches are definitely "fair game" for our swaps! They'll go into the pool with the plants! Last fall I came home from the swap with home grown potatoes, onions, eggplant and a butternut squash--and a jar of homemade rhubarb-strawberry jam! I think I had a couple plants too!!!

Methinks you don't believe it yet, but you're gonna be going home with an armful of plants!

Skybird

Lisa, raspberries are still a go... If it ever dries out enough for me to dig them, penstemon well, if there's any left alive after drowning for the past three weeks yes on those too. I started out with about 20 and I think I have only about 15 left. We'll see if I have any by the swap.

Lisa, I'll bring some of the Egyptian onions for you, and would take an earmarked black krim or two if you've got some left.

I did have some of my golden raspberries survive (50% success from Walmart is huge for me lol) so if anyone had other raspberries marked for me, I'll let someone else have them since they seem like a popular request

I've been checking the forecast, and if I don't like what I see, I just check back in 20 minutes, because even the forecast seems to change as quickly as the weather lately! Everyone remember to bring umbrellas and rain gear as well as sunscreen, just in case! Getting excited to see everyone again!

I am late to the discussion but am looking forward to the swap! I would like to use my time wisely & bring plants that would interest some. Any interest in:

**tarragon (I got the original plant 20+ years ago, continues making healthy side shoots) It does get tall so I use a small tomato cage)
**hops - not named, sorry
**mints - pineapple (variegated), apple - both grown in pots & overwintered in the garage so not sure how invasive they would be in the ground. Also could pull some spearmint which has been somewhat invasive in our community garden.
**lemon balm
**may be able to pull a small oregano if someone is interested
**yarrow - 'Debutante' - mine is the lighter pink shade
**garlic chives (wider leaves than a regular chive / white flowers)
**russian sage (I am tossing as I don't have space for this to spread)
**dill (yes, I let some seed go last year but love volunteers)
**tomatillos - I mostly grow them from volunteers & have had good luck over the years - could be yellow, green or purple
**grape hyacinth bulbs
**centrathus ruber - Jupiter's beard - freely reseeds if not deadheaded. pretty red/pink flowers this time of the year but usually will flower again.

I need to sort out tomatoes & peppers. I will probably have some (heirlooms) to share.

I would love a jalapeno plant if someone has an extra. For some reason I missed starting those seeds this year.

I am sure there is more but this is it for the moment.

Mary

I have raspberries too, be happy to pot some up.
Zach, I'm kind of a 'whatever you've got' on the tomatoes too, if anyone wants to earmark something specific just go for it and I'm happy to take whatever's left. :)

Whoa - Mary, could I please trouble you for a dill plant? My son wants to try making pickles this summer. :)

Mary,

I have a couple jalapeños for you. I would love some tarragon, hops, and russian sage (I have LOTS of space for it to spread!). Could I also ask for Jupiter's beard? That looks beautiful!

Thank you!

Lisa (aka lisaluwho)

Mayberry, I have Krims for you! Thanks!

I haven't done any earmarks. I'm just going to let the chips fall as they may. I will say it's very easy to dig up things right now.

comary, I would love a tarragon and a yarrow. (2 yarrow if you have them. I know just the spots.)

I'm going to have to spend some time going back through this thread to see what others are bringing/want - it's grown quite a bit since I've last looked at it!

I think all I will have to offer this time are some Russian Sage, Hens & Chicks (I believe they are Sempervivum Icicle) and Lambs Ear. Not sure if anyone else is already bringing those or not (again, will have to read this thread when I have more time!). My attempt at getting my Sun/Rock Rose didn't work, unfortunately, so won't have any of those to bring. I noticed today that my flowering Quince has produced some suckers. Not sure if there is anything special I need to do in digging them up, but I will try to do so (don't want them growing where they are) and bring those if they look ok.

As far as my wants, my main ones are if anyone happens to be bringing them: Basil (my seeds didn't take), Peonies, tall ornamental grass, and tall sedum. But I'm always interested to see what shows up and usually end up bringing something else home!!

Marj

Hi all,

Well, the rain held off for today (there’s actually some sun
and patches of BLUE sky right now!), so I got some stuff potted up for the
swap. Most of you know I usually pot
stuff up much sooner so it can be well rooted by swap time, but with being
gone, that just didn’t work this time!
I’ll be recommending that people keep the things I just potted in the
pots till they’re rooted to the bottom of the pots before planting in the
ground!

Here’s a pretty complete list of what I’ll have this
time. I’m not doing dibs, but at least you can be thinking about which you’d
like to pick and do any online research you want to before the swap this
way. I posted links to pics of some of
these up above in my April 18 post, and will put links here for the ones that
aren’t up there so you all can do a look-see to know what they are. (Will start posting “real” pics again if houzz
ever enables posting with photo hosting site links!) If anybody has any questions about any of
these, just ask!

I’ll have 2 or more of each of these—except for one of them!

Anemone sylvestris – pics and info above

Chrysanthemum maximum ‘Becky’, Shasta Daisy – pics and info
above

Consolida – Annual larkspur – About 3’ tall with purple flowers much of
the summer. – If you let one of these go to seed, next year you’ll have them
all over the place! Easy to pull out the
seedlings when they go where you don’t want them! This is the one I posted somewhere that it’s
reseeded into my Shasta daisies, and when they bloom together it looks like a
“live flower arrangement!” I don’t have
an easily accessible pic of this one growing IN the Shasta daisies, but here’s
one of it the first year I had it growing NEXT to them! It’s all over the place now!

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/-DsmguJaPUhvHEJ8yYQib8K0nZGRGfHLEy4-V3DuEj0?feat=directlink

Delosperma nubigenum ‘White Nugget’ – pics and info above

Galium odoratum, Sweet Woodruff – Spreads a LOT, does best
with part/most shade but can take sun too if watered fairly often. I love this because of the “fresh mown hay”
scent of both the foliage and the flowers—some people say it smells like
vanilla! Mine is growing in my Escape
Proof Garden! (Between the shed and
privacy fence!) This pic is ’09—it’s ALL
over now!

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/pn3AW9XActMtGzO5bA1jJ3SPNc76d8NSMIR_ruEbe2U?feat=directlink

Helianthus maximilianii, perennial sunflower – pic and info
above – INVASIVE, read the info above!

Myosotis, forget-me-nots – These are small seedlings this
time that I believe will still bloom this year!
The ones that germinated last fall didn’t make it through our
“interesting” winter! If you let them go
to seed you’ll have them all over the place next year—and all overer the next
year!!! Delightful, dainty blue flowers
here, there, and everywhere! Pull out
easily when they get out of bounds!

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/tjEkeIsfSSsL5LJ2beDy8DluDqFsYa8lXiqgQsjeDBg?feat=directlink

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/kWtwHC8e_atlEzyYt-alRDluDqFsYa8lXiqgQsjeDBg?feat=directlink

Penstemon eatonii (?) – This is the one where I collected
seed along the Burr Trail Road just east of Boulder, Utah! It’s now started to reseed in my yard! I only have ONE this time, but I’m sure I’ll
have more at future swaps. It NEEDS full
sun, hot, and dry! In my yard with not
enough sun and too much water it gets about 3’ tall and all floppy, but out
along the road where I got the seed it was only about a foot tall! I’m not positive about the species, but I now
believe it's P. eatonii—will never be able to be absolutely certain! Being a species plant, hummers LOVE it!

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/pk_yNYLtMTj1A98xPvmWXg6vb2FQp28JjCT4rlaJfOg?feat=directlink

Pic of the floppy one in my yard, all tied up!, and with a
blurry hummer in the middle of it!

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/QezMS2DNuFzUTQLlnsIAzhDdOdVx-6KTyqo-pK6qwOA?feat=directlink

Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’, Black Eyed Susan – pics and info above

Thalictrum aquilegifolium – Shade plant, about 3-4’ tall,
the flowers are purple “fluff!” Likes
water—LOTS of water!

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/eF9DneBEtfoRaOwODMWrWnSPNc76d8NSMIR_ruEbe2U?feat=directlink

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/9PA9lCuoIvg7snLnksK4qXSPNc76d8NSMIR_ruEbe2U?feat=directlink

Veronica ‘Waterperry’ – My favorite creeping Veronica! If cut all the way down after the first bloom
you’ll get a whole second primary bloom—and, depending on the year, sometimes
you can get a third primary bloom if cut all the way down quickly after the
second bloom. Mine is just finishing the
first bloom!

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/RA8CNtanv78AmJATb3EqMjluDqFsYa8lXiqgQsjeDBg?feat=directlink

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/7W_MNVJTg-hSu-okKT4bA3SPNc76d8NSMIR_ruEbe2U?feat=directlink

Viola – Plain old Johnny-jump-ups! Let them go to seed and it’s another
all-over-the-place one the following year(s)

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/8R2dHb8Vgf-IvX_V9iLPanSPNc76d8NSMIR_ruEbe2U?feat=directlink

There may be a couple other things, but Barb has been taking
care of the things I potted up before I left town and I’m not remembering for
sure anymore all of what I had! I think
I have most (or all) of them down!

CatNoHat, and CoMary, I’d be interested in starts of any
mints you may have—small rooted pieces or cuttings, whatever is convenient. I know someone who likes them all and I’d
like to get some going in pots so I can give starts away to others.

Polygonum, I’m getting a start of the Lavender Ice and the
‘Angelina’ from nunchucks/sugaralice, but if you want to bring a start of each
too I’d be able to get a bigger plant going sooner and be able to start giving
them away again sooner. Up to you!

EVERYONE! Be sure to
find a way to label the plants you’re bringing so everyone will know for sure
what they got AFTER they get home! There
are suggestions for ways to label them in the swap FAQs on the main swap
thread, and if any of you have other questions about what we do or how we do
it, you should find answers in the FAQs section at the top of that thread
(ignore everything in my first post about how to contact each other—which is no
longer the problem it was when houzz first took us over!)

http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/2848434/spring-swap-official-site?n=82

GJMancini, can you give me a “close” count of how many
people you’re expecting so I can be sure I bring enough numbers? One time I thought I had way plenty, and it
turned out I was a couple short!

Only a few more days!
Looking forward to seeing you all,

Skybird

I will bring some sweet peppers and cleome. Here is a link with some pictures of cleomes.http://www.ag.auburn.edu/hort/landscape/BEDDING_cleome1.html

I will be bringing a few of the following: Tomatillos, marigolds (both giant and dwarf), assorted tomatoes, coreopsis, raspberries, black eyed Susans, yellow columbines, strawberries, tulips and dwarf iris. Looking forward to seeing you all!

I feel like it's Christmas! Plant gifts and still kinda cold.

Skybird- I have a mint for you.

Gloria- I have strawberries and a honeysuckle for you. If you still have some, I would like a tansy.

Kvenkat- I have a lilac for you. If you are still looking for perennials, I have Becky shasta daisies and Purple dome asters if you are interested in either. If you still have extra coleus, I would love some.

Lisa- I have a honeysuckle for you. If it's not too much, I would take an eggplant, cherry tomato and maybe a black krim or marvel stripe tomato.

Thanks everyone! See you soon.

~Cat

Oakiris, Should you have any hot peppers left, I would love one or two.

Popmama, an Anemone sylvestris please!

Amester, please save me a salvia.

So far, I have these reserved...

Gjmancini - coleus

Catnohat - coleus

Amester - jasmine, Alglaonema

@kvenkat - Your peppers must be coming from someone else - Zach maybe? - because I am afraid I am coming to the swap with my hat in hand, no plants in attendance, except perhaps a houseplant or two. Hoping to be much better prepared next time!

Does anyone need/want any plastic pots? I rather imagine this would be like bringing coal to Newcastle, but I have quite a few spare gallon and half/gallon pots, along with some larger and smaller ones; I would be happy to spread the "wealth" should anyone want some.

Looking forward to this Saturday; even if it is raining - rather expected at this point - at least we (except for our happy hosts, lol) will get to see the water falling on someone else's garden, and it will be nice to see and talk with everyone, have a good meal AND come home with a new plant or three!

Holly

Zach (and everyone else): I will happily take just about any kind of tomato.

CoMary: Dill and tomatillos, please? (I will happily take tomatillos from someone else, too, since I believe one needs at least two plants for them to set any fruit.)

Skybrid: My Lavender Ice is still somewhat puny looking due to the rain, but I have plenty of Angelina. I will hack off some starts for you. I want to thank you again for the wonderful sedums you've shared over the years. Almost all have adapted nicely to my garden.

Amester: I will bring an assortment of sempervivums for your friend to try. None are rooted, but all of them do root pretty easily if you just put them where you want them and anchor them slightly so they don't roll around while getting settled.

BohemianCottage: a few marigold starts, please? I love both giant and dwarf. Coreopsis is also welcome.

mystywoods: I would be happy to try your flowering quince if it pots up OK. They have very pretty flowers and the fruits can be used for jelly. Do you know what variety it is?

nunchuks: Penstemon, please? (but only if you have extras -- I still have the one I got from you a few years ago even though I haven't been able to get it to propagate or to spread a whole lot)

I too have lots of extra pots of all sizes and would like to get rid of some of them.

Does anyone have a hollyhock seedling or two they'd like to get rid of? I don't see any of mine from last fall, so I suspect they did not survive the winter. Which is weird, since they should have been fairly cold hardy. I have plenty of seeds to start more, but it would be nice to have one blooming this summer, but only if someone has an extra that they don't want.

Between the cold winter and the wet spring, things are being really slow to get started here. That makes it easier to transplant plants, harder to know what has or has not survived the winter.

We are looking forward to seeing everyone this weekend!

OakIris and Polygonum, if you have any pots that are smaller than 3", I'd love to have them. Square especially, but round too if they're small.

Thanks for the 'Angelina', Polygonum. With some starts from both of you that should get me a pretty good plant going again by fall.

OakIris, I'm SURE you'll be leaving with a plant or three---or TEN!

Skybird

Skybird,

Would you like some plastic plug containers? I have eight of them:

Thanks, Kat, but I've given up on using "pots" that are "hooked together," so, no on the plug containers. I have less trouble watering and transplanting when I have things in individual pots that I can handle separately. But thank you for taking the time to offer them. Possibly somebody else will see them and come to say they'd like to have them.

Skybird

If all goes well between now and Saturday, I'm bringing:

Tomatoes - Amana Orange (2), Beefsteak (2), Black Krim (2 but don't get too excited on these, they're little), Chocolate Drop cherry (2), Red Siberian (2), Roma (1), San Marzano (1).

Peppers - Cayenne (1), Fooled You (2), Tomato shaped pimento (2).

Perennials - Ajuga Royalty (2), Anemone sylvestris (3), Blue spruce sedum (5), Creeping jenny (2), Hen and chick - red unknown variety (2), Sweet woodruff (2). If I get to it, I'll bring some bearded iris, a dark purple with yellow.

Trees - Heritage oak hybrid seedling (1), Scarlet oak seedling (1).

I did earmark 2 tomatoes for catnohat, but am not doing dibs otherwise.

I'm counting down and looking forward to seeing all of you!

Barb

Poly - I dug up some of the Quince and potted them. They look a bit wilted, but there were plenty of roots on the runners I cut, so I think they'll revive. I'll earmark one for you. I'm afraid I don't know the variety - it's a plant that was here in the yard when we bought the place. Here's a close up of the flowers: quince (hope this link works). I does fruit, but I've never done anything with them as I don't know much about them (when to pick, etc.). Flowers are really pretty and letting it grow to act as a screen in front of our shed.

gjmancini - have you sent your address yet? I don't think I got your email, if so, or else I lost it. Appreciate it if you'd send to me!

Marj

@Skybird - I do have smaller pots as well, will bring some with me, along with larger ones, just in case. And, lol - I, too, am quite sure that we will be leaving with a lot more plants than we are bringing! :-p

@Marj - if Gloria doesn't respond - she is probably going nuts getting ready for all of us - you can PM me with your email address and I will forward the email from Gloria to you, if you would like. :-)

Holly

OakIris, I'm always looking for LITTLE pots so I didn't think of this, but if you have any 2-gallon or bigger pots you don't want anymore, I'd love to have them too. I use them for all sorts of things around the yard! Like many folks, I have a pretty good stash of 1-gallon, so don't need any of those!

A couple days ago the forecast for Saturday was about 60º with a 50-60% chance of rain, and NOW NOAA is showing it as 66º with only a 10% chance of rain, and one Denver weatherman is predicting up to 70º, so it looks like we may really luck out with the weather for the swap! Fingers crossed!

Skybird

I'm quite excited about meeting you all on Saturday.

I spent today in the dirt -- literally -- after three cubic yards of good soil was dumped on my driveway this morning. One wheelbarrow at a time ...

I'm working hard at setting up the garden area this year, doing what some call "hardscape." A month ago, the yard was dying grass with weeds and clumps of hard grass. Now, its the sort of mess that signals progress, I hope. In 2.5 weeks all the trees will be cut down. They're diseased and ugly.

My husband built a fence around the small front yard to keep out bear/deer/neighbors. It is solid and private, creating a "secret garden." The fence encloses an asymmetric and oddly-shaped space which has had to be terraced because of the slope of the land. In this space I have started to carve out flower beds where ugly grass once tried to grow. Like the property, the beds are irregular and fluid in shape looking something like beans or teardrops.

It occurred to me, today, that gardening is a process, not a goal; perhaps both. Still, I have garden goals. Simple goals. My first goal is to sip my morning tea on a sunken, old lawn chair while staring at flowers which will -- God willing -- climb up and cover the fence as well as crawl all over the ground. My second goal is to love the process of gardening, not just the goal.

I'll sign off and take pics.

Janni

So here are some pics for anyone who has advice for me. This is one of the new, mostly shady beds. On the right and left are two new roses that are supposed to climb. In front of it, where the dead grass can be seen, will be a path and a bed. Someday. Any ideas for what to put in this north-facing bed?

Here's a second pic, of the bed in which I've been working for the last month. The new dirt is the black, yummy stuff in the front garden. You are looking west, here. All the trees will be gone in two weeks. Any ideas as to what to put on that fence that gets morning and some afternoon sun? To the right is the detached garage. It is utterly shady. I have little delphinium seedlings in the kitchen, now, that I hope to plant along that wall. Other ideas? (Please excuse the mess. Garden in process, you know ...)

Hi Janni,

I love what you're doing with you're yard so far, but I have a "non plant" suggestion! Start a separate thread to get help and recommendations. If it's posted on this thread only the people that are interested in the swap will see it, and after the swap probably nobody will even read this thread anymore--but if you start it as a separate thread with its own subject, everyone will see it, it should keep getting bumped up for a while, and you'll get more help/advice.

Skybird

Janni, that looks Awsome! Makes my landscaping look like amateur hour! Jeeze, way to show me up, lol! Yes, plase start a new thread, I am anxiously awaiting some replies to this one, might help me with some ideas for mine!

Oops. I'm sorry. Will try to figure out how to move it.

Thanks Zach! You made my day ... evening.

Very nice, Janni. It is hard work, but hope you are enjoying redesigning your landscape. Mine is a bit more haphazard than that, lol - you know, impulse, lets put a bed there.... I would suggest planting a Clematis or three along the fence. I look forward to reading the new thread you will be starting.

@Skybird - I don't seem to have as many smaller pots as I thought I did, and not sure I have the size you are looking for, but I will bring what I have to see if they are suitable. I will bring some larger pots, too.

Nice to see the sun the last few days, though tomorrow is going to be a bit unpleasant again - I used to love the sound of rain, but not so much now....I am sure I will be loving it again in the future but right now I am definitely over it - but Saturday is supposed to be a lot nicer than originally predicted, as Skybird already posted, so hopefully we won't have 22+ people huddling under an umbrella or two for the swap! YAY!

Holly

Dee I have 2 of each sedums potted up and I will snip extras in a Baggie in case the ones in the pots did not take. All the sedums I have gotten from you are vigorously thriving so you can always get replacements from me providing they don't suddenly die. Poly I do have 2 penstemons and I will save 1 for you and glad you're enjoying them. They really are the stars in my garden when blooming. They don't spread at all and seedlings are rare to none. this is the 3rd seedling I've come across in the 5 years that I've had them. The numerous ones I brought in a previous swap was from a propagation experiment that worked! See you all tomorrow. Meh! the monster is stirring! Go back to sleep!