Thank you everyone. I have meet old and new friends.

Wendy

Thank you, Gardengranma, from me as well as from my daughters, who loved the playhouse, treehouse, and swingset.

Henrietta & Larry ~ thank you for hosting, your gardens are such a treat to visit!

Jen ~ great job organizing

Thanks everyone for the plants, they are all safely tucked into their new homes.......the winds were whipping up here in Gaithersburg, but I had to get plants in the ground!

Jette

Henrietta & Larry, THANK YOU! Everything was lovely especially your gardens.

Steve S. Thank you for the daylily. I can't wait to see it bloom.

Thank you to all who participated. It was alot of fun.

Denise

It was nice to once again meet up with GW friends. I am continually in awe of Henrietta's gardens--the peonies were SO gorgeous this year.There's always something new to admire. THanks to all of you that allowed me to leave with only 2 out of 6 boxes of tomatoes!

I posted several times this morning but it somehow hasn't printed my message, just my subject matter..let's see if does this one.

Yesterday was our first plant swap and it was nice to finally put a face to a username. Were there any surprizes to that image you had in your mind of certain persons that you have met on the GW forums?

Henrietta's gardens are so beautiful! Hers and Larry's hospitality was so appreciated. Touring the gardens gave me lots of ideas..only wished I'd taken my camera along to photograph them. I wrote my Thank You Note early this morning. A lot going on this coming week and I didn't want to forget it.

Thanks to Diana Lynn for the tall garden phlox, I got a nice size blooming forget-me-not plant from somebody parked along the fenceline..(Jen, was that you?)a pink hardy geranium from somebody else, a sundrop(which we always call Aunt Pearl's flowers), a pink garden phlox form somebody who was parked beside the barn and the manure truck.

Many thanks to the two gals that pitched in at last minute and helped me clean up. Sorry I didn't get their usenames so I'll have to Thank them again here. They know who they are.

My first time yesterday. What a congenial, generous, and compassionate group. Thanks to Henrietta and Larry and everyone else who made it happen.

Hi Everyone,

Thank everyone for contributing to a wonderful swap wonderful event. What a nice and special community. Henrietta and Larry, we are so fortunate to be graced with your warm and unconditional hospitality. Your home and gardens inspire so much energy, creative expression, beauty and love. Thank you for all that you do. Happy gardening everyone!

Effie/treble

Our hosts gardens and ponds were awe inspiring: thank you for having us.

I really enjoyed meeting the swappers and getting so many new plants. It was a fast and frenzied as Christmas morning when I was a kid: and then I had the whole afternoon to admire all my new plants!

Thank you to our hosts and the organizers.

Thanks again to Henrietta and Larry for their hospitality. And there was a nice variety of edibles this year!

I do have a complaint, though. My friend JanetM and I arrived around 10:30, and while we were still taking things out of the truck and organizing them (including the "spoken-for" items) people were picking things up and asking if they could take them. (Or, in the case of an an epimedium that I had saved for KimKa - it even had her name on it - just walking off with the plants). I felt like I was holding a garage sale overrun by "earlybirds". I wish that people could have waited until we had arranged everything before descending upon us.

But the weather and gardens were beautiful, and it was great to see everybody again.

Thank you Henrietta and Larry! And to the organizers who are more organized than I am.

It was a frenzy when I arrived late, but the beauty of the gardens and generosity of the gardeners soon put me right! I am especially grateful for the pond plants. I got the pond cleaned out and all the plants newly potted and underwater today. My gardens are finally filling out. See you all next time!! Or come by for a visit.

For someone new to this game, it was terrific! I am out checking on the plants and watering in the evening and dreaming of FLOWERS! Larry and Henrietta are an inspiration and treasure.

It was a great swap! Thank you so much to everyone. Henrietta and Larry, I just can't say enough about your generosity, your hospitality or your beautiful gardens! Thank you so much for hosting.

I do see Cecilia's point - I witnessed some swooping, and one of the things that I had clearly marked for someone got taken by someone else. It was my first year, and next time I'll be sure to guard the plants I've promised!

But those things were greatly overshadowed by the generosity, warmth, and friendship that were present. Several people made me feel so welcome even though I am a newbie, and I am grateful to have found such a fun, friendly group. I look forward to the future sharing that I can't wait to do!

I'm thrilled to have the plants I received, and happy to have found good homes for the extra things I had. Thank you so much to all!

And - the food was fantastic! Who brought those coconut macaroons? I would love the recipe!

Nancy

I'm late on the thank-you board (always late, late, late). Had a wonderful, tiring time on Saturday! All my freebies disappeared and all my pre-arranged trade plants managed not to wilt too badly and shame me as I gave them away.

I'm SO excited about the wonderful plants people brought me. You know if you traded with me--this "thank you" is for you. And to the bringers of freebies that I picked up, thanks for the surprises!

And last, but most importantly, thank you many times over to Henrietta and Larry for your graciousness in hosting this year after year. I can only imagine all the work involved. It is a wonderful gift to us all.

Diana Lynn

Thank you all for coming. I really appreciated the lovely balance of food, utelsils, etc. and clean up - especially the clean up. My kitchen was cleaner when you left than it was before you came. A couple of people apparently were looking for me -- I was talking to a few newbies. I was wondering if someone would like to start a thread on: If I just started gardening, how i would do it. I think there is a lot we could say and be helpful, besides it would provide a few funny memories and a lot of smiles. Whoever wanted the garden ornaments, send me an e-mail or give me a call - we didn't connect again before most everyone was gone.

I had a great swap and thank you everyone. I hear what Cecilia is saying, as I tried to find the plant that someone took that was a pre-arranged swap for her.

I learned the hard way three years ago when most of my pre-arranged swaps were taken before I could even begin. I now have to bring a friend and wife to help me so I am not embarrased when my swap dissapears.

I think a good idea I saw was to put pre-arranged trades in a stapled paper bag and keep them in your vehicle.

I don't think people mean to take what is not for them, but it happens.

Thanks again everyone.

Henrietta & Larry are the best people!!!!!!!!!!

Foodeefish

My apologies to all my pre-arranged swaps--by the time I got there, everyone except for one or two last people were gone.
I promise to come early the next swap. So sorry. But it was worth the drive even though it was over--Henrietta your garden was spectacular. The peonies especially!
Also wanted to mention how generous our swap folks are--the remaining two insisted on giving me a plant from their cars. Thanks to them and thanks to all for being a great community!

Henrietta & Larry ,

Thanks again for hosting a great swap. As we walked to our car, I saw a tree that looked like a buckeye, but it was multicolored. Whatever was that beauty? What are you feeding your plants? I have never seen healthier ones. The Peonies were a riot of colors! I felt like I had visited a botanical garden!
In retrospect, it was like that scene in Willy Wonka, where everyone is filled with wonder at the sight of the world of candy. Only for us , it was Peonies!

Thanks everyone for all the great goodies!

nancy123 ,

I'll ask DH for his macaroon recipe & post it. He'll be happy to hear the compliment.

Rose

Here is a link that might be useful: Willie Wonka Pure Imagination

Thanks, Rose. I can't wait for the macaroon recipe!

Nancy

Thank you to everyone! At the time of the swap, I was 14 days old to landscaping, now about . Shwooo, this is hard work but it's been so therapeutic and other neighbors are watching me progress, even some started sprucing up their yards. I just about have all my plants in. I'm not sure if I can post pictures but I would be happy to once I'm finshed...very close. I had a wonderful time at the swap. Looking forward to next year.
By the way, I met someone named Marion that lives in DC. If you are out there please contact me.