Wow... just saw this, and how long it's been up with no responses! Hopefully everyone else is just REALLY swamped the way I am... and that once this gets going, we'll have a great spring swap! I missed everyone when we scrapped the fall one ;(

It has been an awfully long (endless??!) winter and an awfully late spring -- finally got outside to begin garden cleanup today (last bit of snow finally gone!), and very little is up, but there definitely are signs of life (yeah!) out there.

I hope we can get a swap going -- and that I'll be around. Crazy busy schedule but I really hope it works out! Thanks for posting this Hedy! Anyone game for a CT spring swap?

I just can't seem to get motivated this spring. Usually have about 200+ containers winter-sown by now, and today I just did another five to add to my first (and only) five. Wow. 200 versus 10.

But I did finally get outside today to do a bit of cleanup, and decided I'm already overwhelmed, lol. However, I did clean up around my pot ghetto with an eye to stuff I could bring to the swap, so it is floating around my mind on some level.

We usually do the first weekend in May, no? Which would not be good for me personally, but that's usually when we do it. Is the second weekend Mother's Day? I'm guessing it is....

Dee

Ready to hit the road north, anytime. . .reluctant to pot things up yet, because we might actually get freezing temps tonight. . .and so many pot markers vanished this
winter (we'll blame it on the squirrels!), that I'll need
several more weeks before I can identify things. First
Sunday in May could be my only opening this year. . .for
some reason, the schedule is closing in early!

Carl

First Sunday in May works for me... though I have to be back in Woodbury by 2 pm, but that should work. Second Sunday is indeed Mother's Day, Dee.

My garden's a mess, though! Just discovered more damage today -- the voles/shrews/whatever apparently spent the winter (much of it, anyway!) dining on my Iris 'Dusky Challenger' -- I looked FOREVER for that iris! It's my absolute favorite and I finally found it in the local nursery a few years ago. Now I have to start my hunt again. The tubers are just chewed to shreds, hollowed out completely (I'd say bunnies but I have never, EVER seen one in my garden). Hint, hint... anyone growing it?

I've only just begun cleaning out beds so I'm not sure what's even out there... what a winter. Please let it be over!!!!!!

Doesn't seem a lot of interest in a swap yet ... ??

Honestly?? I'm not anxious for an early spring swap... mostly because things are so late coming up in my yard. There doesn't seem to be much yet to divide.

And then, after last night cold (sleet... scant snow) and then today's wind.... well, I don't expect to get into the gardens for a few days.

Spring is taking her own sweet time getting here.

I'm so glad to see this here! I think we usually muck around a bit and end up choosing the Sunday of the weekend in between Mother's Day and Memorial Day. It is the latest we can have Wolfe Park and I can't see having an early swap considering how late winter lasted this year. Sure felt like back to winter this morning! I am looking forward to seeing everyone.

Well, after this morning, I would tend to agree... still have a sheet of ice on my patio. I think the only reason we only had 1-2 inches of snow instead of 4 is because I only got my front beds cleaned up/raked out over the weekend, not the back ones (I almost always rake them out just a tad too early and wham, we get a late snow... I have a nearly perfect record in that respect, leading me to wonder if I should EVER rake them out??)

Unfortunately, moving later means I'm out for the spring since I'll be out of town from the 19th through the 25th. But I sure hope you guys get it in! It would be a shame to skip two in a row :(

Well, look who's here! Deb, it's awesome to "see" you!! I hope we get to see you in person if/when we have our swap!

I can't do the first weekend in May, but I don't know if I would have much by then anyway - things are awfully late this year. I vote for a bit later, but that's me being selfish so I can go, lol.

:)
Dee

bump

Does it have to be in Monroe? We can always do it in early June.

Where would you suggest to hold the swap instead of Monroe? (I'm not sure of areas in the center of the state because I live along the shore.)

Molie

What about the 18th? Most of my plants are up even though they're smaller now than they should be. But I still have stuff to divide. I'd hate to let the swap fade away.

Hedy

18th would most likely work for me - it's too darn cold and windy to be out there doing much now anyway. I think we won't have a SPRING, never mind having a spring swap!

Dee

Hi, All

I'll be free after the second week of May.

Therefore, I can make it anytime.

-Tina

So what's up guys? Are we doing this? Doesn't seem to be much interest, although that could be due to the fact that winter was here until yesterday!

Anybody up for it, and if so, when and where? I think we can squeeze into Wolfe Park for free till Memorial Day - does the 18th sound good for folks? Other ideas?

Dee

I can make it May 18. I have lots of plants that I need to divide. Even if it was so cold, much of the plants are up.

Hedy

Oh geez. I just remembered I will be in Boston on the 18th for my son's graduation. Yikes, how could I forget that? Probably because I'd rather be at a plant swap, lol.

Doesn't look like there's any interest in a swap this spring anyway...?

:)
Dee

Congrats on the graduation!

You're right. Everyone's kind of quiet :-(

-Tina

I agree with the quiet... I'm going to be flying to Denver on the 18th returning on the 24th -- so I'm out.

It is REALLY a late spring out there, even on the wildflower trail in town, where some things that are normally past by now are just beginning to bloom -- so maybe it's just impossible to get people energized about their gardens with the cool, wet, weather. I wonder if there's any interest for an early summer swap? We could try a private home as some of the swaps seem to do (I don't mind hosting one since Wolfe would be out as an option after Memorial Day).

Hot damn! A late Spring/early Summer swap at Marti's
abode sounds perfect! I've been quiet, too, because now that the weather seems to be co-operating, I'm frantically
trying to catch up. . .June 1st or 8th would be fine, and
even the 15th, Father's Day,might work, as I don't think it
gets quite the same attention as Mother's Day.

Carl

Thanks Tina! :)

Dee

I'm here in the background watching to see what day you all figure on having it.

I can also offer my house for a mid summer barbecue and swap.There are now 2 swans on my small lake along with the ducks and geese. Of course it is a trek south to Greenwich. Would anyone want small dogwood trees?

Hedy

Oh, I'd vote for Hedy's place if she's game... it's more central to most of the people who might be coming, I suspect since a lot are on the shoreline (I'm up on the north end of Woodbury ... talk about a trek!) Either way I think a private home will be a nice change from Wolfe park...!!

Hedy, what kind of dogwoods? Natives or kousas or some other type?

They're natives. I have both pink and white. The largest has a 3" caliper trunk. I also have shrubs: spirea, 2 kinds of caryopteris, nandina, euonymous. Everything seems to seed itself incl. hostas and peonies.

Hedy

I'm certainly game for a later swap - although I do think Woodbury is definitely more central than Greenwich, no? Well, except maybe for Carl. :)

Hedy, I'd love a dogwood please if you have a spare. I'd prefer white, if you know which is which.

Dee

Either locale works for me... maybe we should see where most people are coming from and then decide what makes the most sense. For some reason, I thought we had a lot of shoreline folks these days? I must say, I do kind of like the idea of a more relaxed event AFTER the rush of May, which is just SOOO crazy busy every year, at least for me.

Hedy, I'd loved one of the pink dogwoods... ;)

Hedy - Are either of the Caryopteris the golden-leaved
or variegated ones? If so, I'd definitely like one!

By the way, WHERE in CT doesn't matter to me, Dee,
just as long as it's in New England!

Carl

Yes Carl, I have caryopteris Worchester Gold and I could give you cuttings of the variegated Summer Sorbet. Can't guarantee the pinks but The leaves have dark edges like my pink tree. I also have some nice size white lilacs.

Hedy

Ooh! I'm feeling greedy here, but I would love a white lilac, Hedy, since my last chance at one didn't work out and I still haven't gotten around to getting one!

Carl, I bet you go to ALL the New England state swaps, lol. Here you've got us thinking we're special because you come up from NJ to see us, but knowing the way you flit around New England, I bet if we checked around we'd find that you are a regular at all of the swaps! :)

You are right, Marty - I suppose we should see who is seriously interested in coming before we pick a spot. Greenwich, while not a problem for me personally, just seems about as far west as you can go in CT without going into NY! So I thought maybe some of our eastern or central friends might prefer Woodbury.

Speak up, everyone! Whaddya think?

:)
Dee

I've been keeping quiet because I don't know whether I'll be able to make it, I'm much more likely to get to a swap north of 84.

No offense, Hedy - especially since I'm asking for the
Caryopertis "Worchester Gold" (I'll take it!) - but a
location along Interstate 84 would allow me easier access to other areas, should I decide to continue north to
Vermont, or back into the upper Hudson Valley.

Dee, I must protest your scurrilous insinuation: I have
been forever faithful to the CT Swap ONLY all these
years. . .but I have been sorely tempted at times to
check out some of the other NE swaps, haven't you? :>)

Carl

True I'm off 684 before you get to 84 and I'm close to NY,

Hedy

I am open to June - wherever the consensus is (even though Woodbury is much closer to me).

Wow! Here it is the middle of May, and the CT Plant
Swap posting is all the way over on Page Two!
Something tells me the steam has run out of this
particular annual adventure - sad, yes, but not unlike
many things in life that ebb and flow - so time to move on.
I'll keep posting the various Open Days visits on my
schedule this summer, and maybe some of us can get
together that way. . .maybe Dee was right: I need to
be "unfaithful" and search out out some of the other
NE plant swaps!

Carl

Given this thread is about to drop to page 2 (again!) and no one has posted since Carl on May 16, I think it's time to declare the Spring (or Summer) 2014 swap officially a bust. I know my calendar is filling up fast. It's been a strange year (my garden still looks ... odd ... and I've lost some old favorites, so hopefully by next spring, there will be enough interest that we can crank it back up). Anyone else agree with me??

Yes, I will disappointedly agree with you. But maybe we can swap in fall, and not wait till next spring.

I help a friend garden and would you believe YESTERDAY was the first day I got out in her garden? And I still haven't done much in my own - outside today getting some tomatoes planted, but the perennials are completely ignored and I haven't even gotten any annuals yet, except the paltry few I wintersowed this year (instead of my usual 200 containers). This year is just crazy.....

I would love to get together as a group though and maybe do a garden tour or open days tour, as Carl mentioned. Besides, we need to keep an eye on him so he doesn't stray too far! ;)

Dee

Agree about a summer swap.... just not in the cards this year because of weather issues. Even though I have planted annuals in my yard, many of my perennials are slow. Hmmmm.... a garden tour or open days. Any ideas?

Molie

Oh - bummer! Came to see what day in June you all decided on and see that the cold spring killed a lot more than marginally hardy plants. Or maybe everyone was waiting for decisions on day and location to be made by everyone else! And no one did. Not that I have been that prolific a swapper lately as I am still maintaining a perpetual pot ghetto, but was looking forward to seeing everyone. So here's to hoping we can get it together to get together at some point this summer.
xo
Deb