Interesting Activites for a Plant Swap

21 years ago

I'm looking for new ideas for activities to my 3rd annual plant swap I'm hosting in Sept. I want something unique with each swap, something intriguing and fun.

With my first swap, I allowed a "plant poaching expedition" thru my gardens. After all the trading was done, each guest was allowed to pick one special plant from my gardens and take a piece of it home.

My 2nd swap was a 3 day event, with tours of Master Gardeners' gardens and nurseries in both my hometown and in TN. Everyone had a blast and didn't mind the travelling at all. We all got to chat and get to know each other enroute to other gardens and nurseries. We also had a couple of guest speakers at the actual swap, along with a potluck.

Now my 3rd swap. I want to do something different. It's just going to be a one-day event and I want it to be pretty stress free. (We're even eating out at a local restaurant so no need to mess with bringing dishes and clean up.) I'm expecting 15 to 20 people. I'm not quite sure how to make it unusual.

I know some of you host swaps. What do you do to keep people coming back? What interesting activities do you line up? I've got some gardens lined up for us to visit, but I was looking for something extraordinary to do as well. Maybe just a simple, quick, fun game? Or a big giveaway or something?

For those of you who attend swaps, what attracts you? What keeps you going back (besides the plants and people)? What is the most interesting thing you've done at a swap? What would you like to do at a swap?

Any constructive input is valued.

NancyAnn

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Comments (5)

christie_sw_mo
21 years ago
Would your guests have time to make photo albums of their gardens? Those would be nice to look through at the swap. So many people don't know how to post pictures on gardenweb. If they're creative, they could put questions with it.
bigred
21 years ago
For my garden club's Halloween Party last year,I used my Trival Pursuit game,picking out any question related to gardening(plants,bugs,animal....ghost/spooky for the halloween part).I made up a poster w/ catagories. Each guest got a goody bag then in turn,I asked each guest a question from the catagory they chose. For each correct answer,they received a foil covered chocolate coin or small trinket(party supply store or dollar store items,pencils,erasers,plastic/rubber skeltons,bugs,spider,snakes,etc)at the end of the game,the 3 people w/ the most items in their goodies bags got 1st,2nd and 3rd.prices...all were gag gifts but doesn't have to be and game can be themed for garden swap using any garden related questions and small pks. of seeds harvested from your garden as awards for correct answers and 1st,2nd and 3rd.prizes large garden related items.We had so much fun with this game that we didn't get to play any other of the games and finally had to call a halt to it at 9:30.

PP
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butterflychaser
Original Author
21 years ago
Great Ideas, Christie and Peggy. Thank you so much!

Do y'all know any quicker games for winning door prizes? We won't have a lot of time for extensive games as we have two other gardens to tour and lunch at a pizza place. But maybe I could incorporate some games into our lunch period.

Thanks for the ideas!

NancyAnn
bigred
21 years ago
Generaly we just draw names for door prizes.

PP
butterflychaser
Original Author
21 years ago
Well, my swap in is about 2 1/2 weeks! I hope I can get everything ready by then. I'm doing some volunteering with the Red Cross for the 2000+ evacuees from the Gulf Coast we've taken in, and I've done very little in my gardens (except acquire more plants! I may have to send a few home with you guys coming to the swap!).

There's so much to do, so much to do!! Maybe next week I can get this place tidied up.

Thanks again for the ideas, Ladies. I hope gas prices come down. Roblkey is planning to come from FL, and others are travelling 2 or 3 hours.

NancyAnn