Okay folks, here the trade breakdown (let me know if I'm wrong): Natureboy77 (Jake) I will bring you: 'Minuteman', 'Inniswood, 'Pizzazz' for sure, I know they're ready for division. Got to check on 'Flame Stitch' 'Paradigm' though. (I will make a nice, rare selection for you if I can't get those specific two. You will bring me: Hellebores and Smilacina and the daphne will be great! -Elain8 I will bring you: Thunderbolt and the mystery Mr. or Mrs. Big You will bring me: Exbury Azalea and a Hellebore - I think the plant you describe is a korean lilac (I have some of that, so I will pass - thanks though!) Flowerfan2: I will bring you: A piece of a rare hosta beauty, it will be a surprise :) You will bring me: Clematis serratifolia (I'll pass on the other stuff, thanks though) Jburesh1388: I will bring you: Guacamole (I have Frances Williams, thanks) You will bring me: Rosa "mirandy" Sounds nice Nightnurse1968: I will bring you: Hebe and Peony (hope the peony transplants okay - usually done in the fall) but we will try. You will bring me: Geranium Macrorrhizum Thanks Everyone, Hostaguy (Justin)

Hi Elaine, I would like to trade for your Epimedium 'Frohnleiten'. I was looking at your want list and I have Japanese maples, Filipendula, Clematis'Blue Moon', wintergreen, and the creeping Dicentra with white flowers. What would you like? LMK Karen

Susan, Sorry not to get back with you sooner...I was out of town. I think you nailed it with the H. dasycalyx! Not 100% sure, but if it's not, it's darn close! I've got lots of seeds, though! I had taken a couple of seed pods, then caught my 11 yo dd over there gathering handfuls of pods! LOL! She told me we had to have this hibiscus in our yard. Isn't that great?? I told her not to take too many-she'd strip it if I've let her! Now I've just got to clean them up. I also picked up some honeyball bush ball-things, but I'm not sure exactly what part are the seeds. Got any ideas? They almost look like dried up monarda heads, but smaller. And they come apart like gaillarda. I think that part is the seeds. But, I want to be sure. HW

It makes a big difference whether you are thinking in terms of a typical yard in the city as opposed to a restoration/maintenance of an undeveloped natural landscape. I am against planting imported species that are well known offenders anywhere. Right now I'm looking into Russian Sage, for example, since that came up recently and I hadn't thought about it in regard of invasiveness in the long term. I'm disinterested or bored with sterile hybrids or exotics that are produced and marketed as bedding plants based flower size, form etc but don't believe they are a threat except in the fact that people seem to prefer these sissy plants-- the result being more and more are being added at the expense of regional natives which I would rather see more of. The result is boring, unimaginative and extremely artificial -- each part of the country looks much the same as the next in so far as gardens are concerned. It is as if they all sprang out of a Home Depot, Lowe's or Walmart which I find creepy and more than a bit ridiculous. Knockout roses come to mind. On the other hand, some named native plants have also entered the trade providing a 'this plant is acceptable as an appropriate garden choice' nudge encouraging people to plant natives so I am, currently at least, thinking of this as a good thing. Reduced size, leaf color or other attributes seen in some named 'improved' varieties of switchgrass, bluestem, native shrubs etc are examples. Some of these plants in their natural state would overwhelm an average yard, two good examples are switchgrass and lantana. On the other hand, it would be too expensive to attempt a restoration project of any size with such plants so again its a matter of choice when planting an attractive yard in the city as opposed to restoration/maintenance of a large scale acreage where seeding with native species would be desirable. A city yard is an individual thing and should look interesting, compliment the home and be at its visual best as far as plant selections are concerned but it is by definition an artificial situation and can never be otherwise so I take that into account. Does it have to be native? No, but if you are claiming to have a native pocket prairie or a native landscape I think it should be predominantly native, say at least 95%? Invasive is often used in the wrong way but the term can sometimes be used appropriately when referring to a native species. Its usually a matter of a serious imbalance such as what has been called the 'green glacier' of cedar trees taking over the prairies or deer populations left unchecked.