I had such a great time at the spring trade, I'm planning to make it to this one too! Thanks!

It looks like I'm going to have tons of plants to trade this fall, more than enough for the Olympia trade, my trade down here in Kelso, and Jim's Green Elephant if the weather will hold out. I'm looking forward to it, and Don is looking forward to my getting rid of a few of these plants. LOL

Hi Barb and Don..so glad you will make it..and those plants will be welcomed...and find great homes.

See you there.
Bejoy

Hi dawiff....so glad you can make it again...!It sounds like there will be lots of plants to choose from. We should have a good many as well.

Did you get my email?
Bejoy

Hi Bejoy, I didn't get your email. I'm really looking forward to the swap!

Hi, I've never been to a plant trade ever. Could someone please give me an overview of how it works, the "rules" or guidelines, what/how to bring, etc? Also is the Sunwood Lakes Club house public? Thanks for any info, I would love to participate. (even though olympia is several hours drive for me)

Thanks

Plant Trades are forums for people to trade plants. There is no buying or selling allowed. Some people dig plants out of their yards for these events, some people grow them just for these trades, and some pass along plants they got at other trades. Even if you don't have many, or any, plants to trade, you are sure to leave with something. There are always leftover plants.

Some people pre-arrange trades, especially for a particularly special plant. How that works is, they post a list of plants they have for trade, and other people may request that they hold certain plants for them. Other people just bring plants that they are happy to find new homes for, no trade needed.

This plant trade is also a potluck. We have kitchen facilities available. The clubhouse is not open to the public - it is for residents' use only.

The next plant trade scheduled is in November. It is called the Green Elephant Trade, and it is a big event, getting bigger every year. It is in Redmond.

I'm in. It's on the calender.

Great description Bejoy!

I would add ... label plants with whatever you have around such as popsicle sticks or cut up plastic containers. Easy to dig up the larger plants, slip into plastic bags & write on the bag with sharpie marker. It's also courteous to warn the person if you are sharing a thug plant. Some locations can handle thugs if you know ahead of time.

These swaps have beautified our gardens with fabulous plants adapted to PNW. I've only had a few plants weren't what claimed to be & identified before they were established. We created mounded lasagna beds expanding and connecting the front garden to a side garden all along the length of the mobile home where we live at a camp. The planting holes were amended with cured homemade compost and soil.

The only casualty was a white lilac sucker from a 2 gallon container, which I must not have liked our very wet spring, rich lasagna layers, & compost/lime in the hole. Clay soil & rocks because something easier to work with using the lasagna method. I moved some of our existing plant material planting closely and know we're going to move plants out come fall.

Here are some pics of some of the new beds along the path. Plants already in place before the redo: fruit trees, snowball bushes, shasta daisy, forget me not, serbian bellflower, salal, and serviceberry.

Thank you to gardeners who have shared with us at GE & Oly swaps :o) We have 4 more improved garden areas, but not pics this time.

1. view from driveway down path toward trail in woods with 2 dry wells dug to control the water flow since this area is the lowest in the yard/driveway {{gwi:682011}}From 2010 flower garden

2. view from middle of path toward driveway
{{gwi:682013}}From 2010 flower garden

3. view from mid grass toward driveway with veggie garden along driveway length in background
{{gwi:682014}}From 2010 flower garden

4. closer shot toward driveway to include Darlow's Enigma rose bush hubby dug out from Craigslist (Owner used a chain saw to cut it back in order to dig out & when we were transplanting it here it broke into 4 rooted parts, so we planted all 4 of them successfully.)
{{gwi:682015}}From 2010 flower garden

Just an add-on to Bejoy2's excellent info on how the plant swaps work. The Green Elephant swaps in Redmond, WA are different...they are a fast-paced tailgate swap held in a church parking lot...no potluck at these. They're very popular and are quickly growing from just spring & fall swaps to include other specialized events. I've attached a link to the web site for more details.

Announcements of the Green Elephant swaps are also posted here on this forum well in advance.

Patrick

Here is a link that might be useful: Green Elephant Website

Rats, I'm out of town. Have a great day.

Greetings Olympia Area Gardeners!

I just opened an email today from one of our Austin Texas GW plant swappers reminding me to see if Olympia has a Plant Swap. I am so glad there is!
Would you please provide the directions?

We enjoyed several years participating with Central TX GW and look forward to learning about this area. Now that we are recent home owners; an older house with little (or very old) landscaping, we can take time and enjoy putting in some nice plants and redo the landscaping.

Thanks!
OlyBill

From I-5 North, take Exit 108C, College Street (stay left on the off ramp - follow the signs to St Martin University). At the stop light, turn right onto College Street.

From I-5 South, take Exit 109. At bottom of ramp, turn right. Get in left turn lane and turn left at the light onto College Street.

Once on College Street, proceed straight ahead. In the traffic circle at 45th, take the 2nd Exit to continue on College Street. At 2nd light past the traffic circle (Safeway is on the left and Lowe's is on the right), turn left onto the Yelm Highway.

Proceed straight on the Yelm Highway to the 2nd light and bear right onto Ruddell Road/Yelm Highway. Merge left, then follow the road as it turns to the left. Pass the school on your right, go over a bridge overlooking the AmTrak Station below and to your left. Continue straight.

Once you pass Van's Hamburger Stand, turn right onto Spurgeon Creek Road. Follow Spurgeon Creek Road to 80th.

Turn right onto 80th. Go up the hill past the fire station to the 'T' Intersection (there is no stop sign for you), and drive straight into the clubhouse parking lot.

Welcome Olybill...looking forward to meeting you. We always have lots of plants to share...so pretty sure you find some you like.
Bejoy

Thanks Bejoy2!
We're making plans to attend.

OlyBill

Hi and welcome, Olybill,
I was born and raised in Texas, and my sister still lives in the country near Elgin just outside Austin. Please have a look at my trade list and see if there's anything you would like. Don't worry about making a swap since I give most of my stuff away anyway. LOL.