Loch Laurel Nursery has a huge number of camellia varieties, and the owner is extremely knowledgeable. Also quite nice. I spoke to him once on the phone and received especially helpful information. He is very active in the Camellia Society and knows camellia people all over. They don't do mail orders, but will reserve what you might want to await your pickup. If you make an appointment (no regular retail hours) they also will let you look at plants there to decide on varieties. In the meantime, you can spend forever at the website wishing for all the beautiful camellias they carry. Best wishes, Mary Here is a link that might be useful: Loch Laurel Nursery

I would say that most of my Sarracenias & Nepenthes have come from Lowes and secondarily from Home Depot. After that, I have received plants via trades and generosity of CP forum growers. The trouble with going to Lowes or home Depot is that the workers haven't a clue as to how to take care of them. Consequently, they could be in very bad shape and need to be nursed back to health. buting online is expensive, although I've never attempted it. Obtaining from other hobbyists is very cheap, possibly free or just for the cost of Priority shipping ($4.05), but you don't get to see what you are getting. Personally, I like to check our Lowes and see whatthey have, if anything, or anything worthwhile. ~95% of my CP collection have come from responding to trading forum offerings and cultivating friendships within the CP community. My collection is relatively weak when it comes to having extra Sarracenias & Nepenthes, and I've already given or pledged to others. Otherwise, I'd offer some starter plants. In contrast, I am strongest with sundews, which I find to be most appealing. There's nothing like looking at sundews glistening in the afternoon sun! See what I mean? Here's my meager Sarr & Nep collections:

Where are you? A trade has been mentioned for the area around Rome. I'm in Adairsville. We are on another thread in the discussion section. Moving to NW Georgia thread, but I started a new one, Established and Transplanted NW Georgians. I did go to the trade in Roswell, it was worth the drive, but it would be great to have one closer, too.

Just to give you another perspective, I'm just across the SC/GA border by about 30 miles or so. I usually always have greens growing from seed scattered in late August or early September. They last through the winter until spring. I had such a wet summer last year that I didn't get any in on time and didn't have any this year. Bummer. My neighbors had some and theirs are all bolting now. I've had snow peas in the ground a month and they're about 3 inches tall now. Took a couple weeks to germinate and pop out. I should have had them in on Valentine's Day or earlier. Weather... I should have beets in the ground now, but my tractor has been in the shop so I'm running late. They can go in mid March here with lettuce and onions and cabbage type transplants. Our average last frost date is early April sometime. I like to wait until after tax day to do any warmer season planting. Last year, I planted sweet corn and some okra in late April and it did well. I also planted more okra later and the earlier planted had larger plants which produced more pods per plant. If you space the seeds for okra by 2 or 3 feet, it gives the plants room to branch and not be a single stalk with pods on it. I had some plants with 5 or 6 branches and a main trunk of 2 or 3 inches diameter at the base. I'll be planting okra again as soon as I can after April 15. Probably drop bush beans, pole beans, squash, and cucumbers at that time as well. Never done pole beans, so looking forward to them. As for pests on okra, I have aphids after the tips where the blossoms were. Because I have aphids, I have ants. I also have to deal with fire ants in the ground, not so much on the plants. Aphids don't get on every single plant. And if they're there, I'll just toss that pod and move to the next one. Ants are more of a bother because I think they're after the blossom leftovers. Occasionally they'll eat into a pod and get inside, but not often. Again, I'll toss those pods and move on. I see stink bugs and leaf footed bugs, but I don't think they do much harm to okra. Okra is so productive. Freezes well. Pickles well. It's expensive at produce stands and farmer's markets, so I try to grow a lot of it and share cheap with folks at work. Sweetpotato slips will be here in mid May and I'll get them right in the ground. They're ready at the end of September. Might sneak one or two before then just to see how they're doing. They keep very well. Hope that wasn't too much for you all at one time. :-)