Hi all,

I haven't had time to post since I got back home, but in the last couple days I've made time to pot up some things for the swap. I'm going to post pictures and all the basic info about the things I'll be bringing, but, like I did last time, and like Lucky has decided to do, I'm not gonna be taking dibs again this time. TreeBarb explained the situation very well on the other thread. For me, at one of the swaps I had just under 400 plants, and 150 of them were spoken for. The "record keeping" was absolutely insane--and most of the time I have plenty of each plant so that anybody who really wants something I bring can get it in the first two rounds of picking--and usually even in the free-for-all since there are enough of them. At another swap in 2010 I had 100 plants promised, and then I completely forgot the stuff for one person--still not sure how I did that--but I still feel bad about it! By not doing dibs at least that won't happen again. Thank you, Lucky, for deciding to do the same thing. I was feeling pretty Scroogey when I posted last year when I said I wasn't gonna do it! Nice to have another ghost to keep me company! ;-)

Here are the things I'm bringing so far. At this point I have at least four of each of them! Use the information and pictures to help you decide if any of these are things you want to go for at the swap! I'll post small pics so the thread doesn't get so long--click on them if you want to see a larger pic!

Ajuga reptans ‘Black Scallop’, Bugleweed - 12" X 24"+ - Sun or shade - Lavender - May-Jun - z3
Evergreen to semi-evergreen, will continue to spread if in contact with soil, spreads near surface so controllable. Very dark, scallopy looking leaves--color deepens with more sun.

Aquilegia chrysantha, Columbine - 24" X 15" - Part sun - yellow - Jun-Aug - z4
Fragrant yellow flowers--put them somewhere where you can easily bend over and sniff them on the way by, long blooming, comes true from seed, Colorado native. Reseeds prolifically!

Thalictrum aquilegifolium ‘Purpureum’, Meadow Rue - 36" X 24-30" - Part shade to shade - lavender - Jun-Jul - z5
Columbine-like foliage with airy flower clusters. Likes LOTS of water!

Veronica liwanensis, Turkish Veronica - 2" X 18"+ - Full sun - lavender - May-Jun - z3
Evergreen, xeric, will continue to spread if in contact with soil, spreads on surface so controllable.

Veronica ‘Waterperry’, creeping Veronica - 3" X 18"+ - Full sun to part shade - lavender - May-Jun - z4
Evergreen, small leaves and flowers have scalloped edges, giving the plant a ruffly look (I think!) Roots anywhere it’s in contact with soil. Great sunny groundcover. Easy to dig and remove if it goes too far!

Delosperma basuticum ‘White Nugget’ Iceplant - 2" X 12"+ - Full sun - White - May-Jun z4
Sparkling white flowers. Evergreen, xeric, patented. More compact than, and spreads more slowly than many other iceplants.

Sedum spurium ‘Tricolor’ - 4" X12"+ - Full sun - pale pink - Jun-Jul - z4
Evergreen, xeric, remove any new growth that has reverted back to plain green
Pink, white and green in summer, mostly pink in winter

HEADS UP!!! While I'm not doing dibs on my "potted" plants, I do have some things that won't be potted that I'm TAKING ORDERS ON! These are things I can bring cuttings or, in one case, rooted starts of. If nobody wants any of these I won't bother to bring them since I haven't had much luck with people wanting the cuttings and other unpotted things I've brought in the past. So, if you'd like to have any of these, let me know or I won't have them with me! [The unrooted cuttings and hen & chicks will include "instruction sheets" with them in case anybody isn't sure how to root them!]

This is spreading enough that I can easily pull out a handful of rooted starts for 2 or 3 people if anybody wants some.

Ajuga reptans ‘Royalty’, Bugleweed - 4-6" X 24"+ - Sun or shade - Lavender - May-Jun - z3
Evergreen to semi-evergreen, will continue to spread if in contact with soil, spreads near surface so controllable. Ruffled bronze/burgundy foliage--"color deepens with more sun.

Cuttings - needs to be cut down to regrow for winter - enough for at least three people.

Sedum hybridum - 3" X 12"+ - Full sun - pale yellow - May-Jun - z4
Evergreen, xeric, red winter foliage color

Cuttings - enough for 3-4 people [Barb also said she's bringing some of this, and her's will be in pots!]

Sedum reflexum ‘Blue Spruce’ - 6" X 12"+ - Full sun - yellow - July - z3
Evergreen, xeric, will drape over a full sun hanging basket, over rocks, or over a wall.
Can become “unruly” looking--cut down to ground and wait for new growth for thick, compact appearance.

I don't usually offer this one because I cut it down right after it's done blooming when all there is are the dead flower stems, and then it grows back into a nice compact plant in spring and I don't want to take cuttings then since I don't want to "mess with it" before it blooms! This year I didn't get it cut after blooming so it grew long stems which I just cut down today--have a pot full of cuttings! This one is deciduous, so if you get it and stick the cuttings in the ground now, it's gonna "go to sleep" as soon as it gets cold out--a/k/a, gonna look dead--but it should root and come up just fine in spring! Just want everyone to know what to expect if they get some! Have enough for a good handful for at least 4 people!

Sedum kamtschaticum ‘Variegatum’ - 6" X 18"+ - Full sun - yellow - Jun-Jul - z4
Groundcover, will continue to spread anywhere it’s in contact with soil. Not evergreen, xeric.

I don't have much in hen & chicks this time because a LOT of them bloomed this spring--which means those "hens" died! And then I took some along with me on my two trips to give to "folks along the way," but I have enough chicks of these two to bring unrooted starts for 2 or 3 people for each if you want to start some yourself.

Sempervivum ‘Icicle’ - Hen and Chicks - 3" X 12"+ - Full sun - z3
Evergreen, xeric. Frosty looking foliage when full grown. Late winter and spring color is pinkish.

Sempervivum, Hen & Chicks - variety name unknown, sizes vary widely - Full sun - z3
Individual ‘hens’ bloom sometimes, flowers range from white to pink to green, individual rosette dies after blooming. Evergreen, xeric, winter color is often dramatically different from summer color.

This is the one I have labeled "K" - it's "blue spruce blue" in summer and pinkish-blue in late spring.

I ALSO HAVE a whole bunch of rooted POTHOS (trailing house plant) cuttings that I couldn't stand to put on the compost pile when I cut my BIG one back a few months ago, and if anybody would like a handful of about 8 cuttings, let me know and I'll bring you some!

I also have a couple requests! This is one I've been asking for every time for several years, and I'm still hoping the right person happens to see it to be able to bring me a start! I gave a bunch of these away at one of the swaps, and then the one I kept for myself died--and it's my absolutely, positively favorite garden mum. It's what's called a "quill." Each petal is a tiny "straw." It was more lavender than it looks in this pic. If anybody who's coming got one of the starts I gave away and could bring me a little rooted piece to get me started again, I'll love you for life! (I did get a start from somebody about a year ago, but it turned out to be the salmon colored Dendranthema, 'Sheffield's' rather than the lavender quill mum.)

And I'm always in the market for the kind of "partitioned" flats on the left in this pic--either for 2" or for 3.5" square pots. And, don't have a pic, but can always use the 2" or 3.5" pots that fit in these flats. If anybody has any of these, or any other smaller than 5" SQUARE pots, I can always use them. Can use the type that's in the center--without holes--too, but have lots of the type on the right, thanks to Amester!

I was planning to post on the main swap thread yet tonite--but I think it's bedtime! Will try to get that done tomorrow!

It's been slow around here! Does anybody else know what they're gonna be bringing yet?

Less than two weeks till the swap!

Skybird

Ooh, I saw some creeping veronica this summer and I fell in love--if you have enough of that, Skybird, I'll definitely be swiping some of that! As far as requests go, I'd like a full-time gardener to help me weed my garden beds and eradicate the English ivy that is currently choking out my raspberries. What, nobody has one of those to spare? Maybe I should just start over with some new raspberries and put them somewhere else!
I've said it elsewhere, but I'll say it here for the first time: we'll be bringing powder-blue iris bulbs, they are longer-blooming than other varieties, but they're also not that uncommon of a color. I may have some snippings of blue sedum and a couple other misc. plants that I got at the spring swap.

Not much action around here this time, but I'm back to post one more thing!

Mayberry, if you're in the market for creeping Veronica, here's a little more info to help you decide which you want, or the best places for them if you get both! (And I have at least 4 of each, so you shouldn't have any problem getting one or both.)

The Turkish, V. liwanensis, is xeric and will definitely do best in a FULL sun spot. It will also spread a lot, and, by my description, is a "real" ground cover!

The 'Waterperry', for me at least, has stayed in more of a clump that gets bigger around the edges each year, but won't spread a lot like the Turkish. (But then I cut mine down to the ground at least once each summer, so it might spread more if that wasn't done!) It can take full sun or some shade, and will appreciate more water.

Can't help you with the full time gardener! Sorry 'bout that!!!

But--if you were serious in your post on the main swap thread that you have "extra" ripe tomatoes, I'll gladly take some of those off of your hands! I had something "personal" going on this spring and I didn't get my tomatoes in the ground till the end of June! I'm gonna get "some," but not a lot this year since they had so little time to grow, and if you're really gonna wind up throwing some of yours out I'd love to have some to dehydrate. There just aren't gonna be enough of my own for that this year! But if you've changed your mind and found other things to do with yours, that's definitely ok with me--just hate to see "real tomatoes" go to waste!

Here's the one additional thing I found that I'll be bringing. This is the best spike Veronica I've ever found! I never got spike Veronica for a long time because it ALWAYS seemed to have mildew, and then I got this one free one time--and I love it! Have had it for at least 6 or 7 years now and it has never had mildew! Forms a nice clump that gets a little bigger each year, and mine hasn't even started to die out in the middle, which almost all perennials do after a few years! This is the first time I've had some to give away! Closeup and distance shots!

Veronica spicata ‘Royal Candles’, Dwarf Spike Speedwell - 10-14” X 14” - Full to part sun - deep blue-purple - Jun-Aug - z3
Compact, showy spike Veronica. Cut to ground after first bloom for a second primary bloom, or deadhead primary flowers for continuing smaller secondary flowers. Easy to grow--few problems.

HEADS UP! HEADS UP! HEADS UP!

Everybody remember that all the things I posted after the first "heads up" above will NOT be with me unless somebody requests it! I'm not doing dibs for the things I've potted up, but the things I listed at the end of my post (cuttings or bare root) are "by order only!" If anybody wants starts of any of those things, let me know by Thursday evening at the latest--so I have time to dig/collect them on Friday. If I don't hear by Thursday when I go to bed, I'll assume nobody wants any!

It still looks like the weather is going to be absolutely perfect on Saturday! Can't wait!!!

Skybird

We have finished our harvest (freezer and pantry are full) but our plants have not, so there will be, for the picking: tomatoes, cucumbers, okra and beans.

The raspberries have been wonderful this year and if someone wants to pluck some suckers they can have them.

Chives have been ignored, so if someone wants to divide, there is plenty. Same goes for the lemon balm, sweet woodruff and sage.

Heck even the winter savory could be trimmed. We have decided that it is our new oregano.

I would be delighted to get extra garden produce! Something tunneled in my garden and many plants disappeared. Also, with the cool-ish summer, we are just starting to get ripe tomatoes. We have been so lucky with the mostly-warm weather this month. (well, except for the bit of snow last week)

Tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, etc., for the picking sounds awesome.

We might well take a small division of your sage, luckybottom. Ours up and died this summer for no obvious reason.

Skybird, do I already have your sedum hybridum? If not, I would love some cuttings. If it's too late to ask you, that's OK. Another time!

What will we bring?

We will probably bring a few pots of Amester's white yarrow.

We might bring some of Skybird's purple dome asters. However, they are just starting to bloom now so I am not sure it's a good time to dig them up.

I will see what else is good to go. A lot of our late summer things are blooming, so probably aren't appropriate to dig and transplant.

By request, I would be happy to bring cuttings or starts of any of the following:

Sedums: coral carpet, dragon's blood, kamtschaticum (this is not the variegated version that skybird is offering), blue spruce, angelina, tri-color.

Ajuga: royalty, chocolate chip, arboretum giant

Himalayan knotweed (persicaria)

other yarrows (potted-up divisions): terracotta, what might be summer pastels

ice plant (hardy yellow, table mountain, lavender ice, fire spinner)

random mostly unnamed sempervivums

Polygonum, I show that Serpent got one in fall of 2010, it would have been a rooted plant, so if it made it you have one. But I'm planning to cut mine back so it looks nice for winter anyway, so if you want a handful, glad to bring you a little bag full. [I haven't gone to bed yet, so it's not too late! :-) ]

The little Lavender Ice cuttings you brought to the spring swap didn't make it, so I'd like to have some more cuttings of that, or a little rooted piece if that's possible. I got a potted "unknown" iceplant at the spring swap and the foliage looks like it could be Lavender Ice, but it hasn't bloomed yet so I won't know till next year what it is for sure.

If there's enough I may corner a few of your tomatoes and cukes, Lucky! No cukes at all here this year, and very few tomatoes because they were planted so late. Sure wish I had room enough to plant raspberries, but that's not gonna happen!

Just a quick update:

In addition to what I've listed above, I'll be bringing one potted Mesa Verde iceplant and 6 potted Ajuga (bugleweed). I don't know what kind it is, Skybird can inform us before swapping.

My mom will be joining us and has yellow iris clumps to swap.

Polygonum, I'd love a rooted piece of Dragon's blood sedum.

Bonnie, I'd like some lemon balm and raspberry starts. I'll bring my digger!

I'm so looking forward to seeing all of you!

Barb

Looks like I'll be able to make it after all :)

Here's what I'm bringing (I will follow others suit and not do dibs):

Pulmonaria - also called cowslip, Bethlehem Sage, lungwort. It's a semi-shade perennial, very hardy, low growing (when flowering, maybe reaches 12" max). Has red-pink flower buds , opening up to reddish - violet and then turning blue as they age (may be Dark Vadar). Flowers close at night and open again in the morning. Blooms in spring. Keep it moist, but otherwise low maintenance. Divide it every few years.

Large Hosta: may be Giant Hosta, not sure. But the leaves are large (about 9" long x 7" wide), and it gets about 2' tall. Gets flower spikes with white blooms, smells very nice! Blooms in early/mid-summer, at least for me. A shade to semi-shade perennial. Keep it moist, but otherwise low maintenance. Divide it every few years.

A couple of baby Russian Sage: you see this plant all over the place in Colorado, but in case you aren't familiar with it: xeric perennial, has airy spires of small, purple-blue flowers and finely-cut, gray-green foliage on upright, grayish-white stems, I think people either love, or hate, this plant - I'm a lover! I'm noticing that it can start taking over a bit - it puts up new growth from the roots, but also apparently from the seeds as these two shoots were growing away from the main plant. It gets from 3-5 ft tall, and about as wide. Cut it back after blooming, or let it go for winter interest (but cut back in spring when new growth emerges to get rid of the dead stalks. But some re-growth does come off of the older stems). I personally love the scent of the flowers and stems - a sagey-mint fragrance. But I have heard others that say it's too overpowering.

Pale Purple Iris: Not sure if this is the same color that Mayberry is bringing or not. Do you have a pic, Mayberry? Sorry my pic is not very good - my hard drive crashed awhile back, and it ruined some of my saved pics :( This is one I had posted on Picassa, and I zoomed in on the iris (so it's a little out of focus), but I think you get the idea!

I'll see what shows up for pic'n for myself :)

Marj

Marj, I don't have a pic, but mine are paler than that, and less purple--almost powder blue. Well, they might also be starved for nutrition at which point they'd be a darker shade, but I really don't think that would make THAT much difference. I think our yard and beds had been largely untended except for water (and mowing the grass) for the last 10-12 years, so it *could* be a deprived soil thing...
We'll sweep the plants for fresh 'maters in the morning--we really did end up with a lot of those! I'll also have some of those lovely champagne cherry ones that you all can try.
Bonnie, I'll gladly take some raspberries off your hands--our few scraggly plants are getting smothered by English Ivy (sorry if I've already said that a bazillion times) and I think I'm going to have to just hit that entire area hard and take no prisoners, with hope to replant them. I'll bring pots and if I can remember, my garden knife to dig them out.
polygonum, I'd love a couple of yarrows, both the white and if you have an extra terra cotta, please?
I would like to request some of the other goodies, but I think I'll take my chances in the number-by-number swap!

Noon start, just in case you missed it on on the food thread.

I will probably dig things up fresh tomorrow morning! White yarrow for sure, and I'm pretty sure I can get at least one or two rooted bits of the terracotta.

I don't know if there are rooted starts of the ice plant or the dragon's blood sedum. I know there are bits of the sedum that definitely have rootlets, so I'll bring you some of those. I'll see what I can do about the ice plant, but will definitely bring you cuttings. Both of the plants I took cuttings from this spring were Lavender Ice, so I feel pretty confident that they will continue to be so after I take the cuttings.

I am pretty sure the the sedum was part of the Great Mammal Banquet of 2010 (back when we lived in the forest), so yes, please, on cuttings of the sedum hybridum.

I am looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow. I will definitely check this forum before we leave to make sure we have things for people who've requested them.

Not sure what's going on. I swear I replied to this already.

I'm always accepting fresh produce if anyone has over abundance, especially tomatoes.

I don't have much room left in my yard for plants (sad!) but I do generally take small sedums and shady plants. I'm always in the market for lily of the valley.

I have to offer: one Autumn Joy sedum, some small dragon's blood sedum, a healthy black-eyed Susan volunteer, one baby Hosta, one unknown variety Daylily (one of Karen's) and some hot pick hollyhock seeds (from a hollyhock I got at last year's swap).

Sorry to all that we didn't make it. There was some giant traffic mess on I-25 today about 11:45. We sat for 90 minutes stuck there and just ended up giving up and going home. I didn't think showing up 90 minutes late was very polite. Hope you all had a great swap. If anyone is interested in the plants I was planning to bring and happen to be in the Arvada/Westminster area, let me know.