Newbie_in_nj (and any others interested), the Fall Perennial Swap at Deep Cut Gardens is scheduled for Sat., Sept. 26, 10am-2pm; it is a free program. Houseplants are also exchanged at the fall swap. Deep Cut Gardens, the horticultural park of the Monmouth County Park System, is located at 152 Red Hill Road, in Middletown, NJ, just 1.7 miles from Garden State Parkway Exit 114. 732-671-6050 if you need more info. FYI, other programs coming up in September are: 9/12 10-12 Vegetable Gardening 101, Session # 4 9/12 1-3pm Fairy Houses in the Gardens 9/13 1-3pm Seed Collecting and Saving 9/19 12:30-3:30 Jersey Shore Rose Society 38th Annual Rose Show (free program) 9/20 12-4pm Bonsai Day (free program) 9/27 1-3pm Birds in the Winter Garden More information about these programs can be found on the web site www.monmouthcountyparks.com, or call the park at 732-671-6050. Don't feel bad, Newbie, the quirky weather this year made for some interesting, and sometimes downright disappointing, results in the garden. I had to look up your salvia greggii 'Flare'; what a lovely plant! If it didn't fare well this winter, it might do better in a protected location, such as against a south-facing wall. This past winter was not an easy one, either, with the sudden temperature fluctuations. (Most of my hydrangeas had to be cut back to about 12-18" above the ground, first time that has happened in the 20+ years they've been growing here.) If you do decide to put it up for adoption, I'm sure someone will take it home and try to nurse it back to health. All of coastal Monmouth County is rated as zone 7, so there should be plenty of potential suitable homes. Steve_nj - ONE of these days, I WILL make it to your plant swap! Things at the park just keep me so busy ... of course, I have no one but myself to blame, since I'm the one who plans and schedules the programs. Thank you for posting pictures - it's great to at least see those! Wishing you a great fall swap again this year. Diane

Just allowing this to move on down. The swap was a great success, a lot of fun - over 400 plants were exchanged.

Thanks goodness I searched for this and found it in time! Still need to get rid of Nepeta Walkers Low still in original pot that I can't find a place with enough sun so it doesn't flop horribly. Guess I'll keep 3 that are already planted with support rings only because they attract so many pollinators while they're in bloom...no matter how much I detest the horrible flopping foliage. Have two Salvia greggii 'Pink Flare' that aren't made for the Zone 6 I grow in although they're listed as Zone 6. Bought them last fall and still in original pots. Heeled in over last winter with burlap protection and kept them watered and they're blooming right now on stems that survived. Again, don't have enough sun to keep them permanently planted even with frost covers for winter so stems don't die off. If you were to advise me that I can put frost covers on them, no matter how unsightly, I'd be tempted to find a place for them...LOL. I should be realistic and just swap with someone in Zone 7 further south so they can enjoy without extreme measures. Zone denial...it's a horrible thing. Lost a couple hours sunshine over last 2 years in front bed due to tree growth in front of house. I have small selfsown seedlings of Agastache foeniculum 'Honey Bee Blue' in Butterfly Garden that's been shaded out. No sense keeping them because mother plant doesn't even get enough sun. :( Can I pot them up and offer for swap? After I dig them up and see the root size I can put in pot size that will be filled with roots. Don't want to plop little plant into larger pot and give someone mostly potting mix. What about Bearded Iris? Are they allowed in swap? I was supposed to dig up and divide a whole bed of them (blue shades) this Fall. Minimally broke my wrist 2 weeks ago so overhaul of that bed is going to have to wait until next year but I might be able to manage digging up some rhizones. They started out as my grandfather's in his Newark, NJ gardens in the 50's and just keep going strong except for badly needing dividing. If I can get some out should I leave them in clumps for recipient to divide as they wish? I'd dig them the afternoon before and put in damp newspaper (that's how my father used to hold them over) but don't know what they'd qualify for in swap. These clumps are a foot across and over. Should I just bring clumps and have you look at them? Don't want to dig them if they're not suitable for swap. What about perennial herbs like Foeniculum vulgare Bronze Fennel? Have 2 seedlings and nowhere to plant more than one I've got for Black Swallowtails. Just walked around beds and found more selfsown plants I can pot up. If I can find some plants at swap that will survive deer and shadier sites it would save me the expense and time of trying to find them at local nurseries this Fall or next Spring. I know I've asked a lot of questions but if you have time and can email me with advice I'd be very...

893 plants exchanged, thanks to the help of the crew of cheerful volunteers and home gardeners. Next swap: Sat., Sept. 28. Same time, same place.