Me too Linda. That was the GREATEST fun! Everyone was so generous and nice. Cheryl deserves a standing ovation for putting that whole thing together! The best part for me was the manure! God how delicious to find it at the swap & the woman who gave it out was just so willing to load bag after bag. Also the cookies were outstanding...I can't remember the woman's name. She was down at the end. So wonderful to meet all of you! I'm already excited about next year...caroleann

That was me down at the end. About the time we all started to wilt, madmouser flew in like a cookie angel and disappeared. I cannot take credit. The great thing about it was it brought everyone to my table so I got rid of the rest of my stuff!!!

What a great time!

I didn't disappear, I was browsing for plants and sending people down for cookies in exchange! Glad everyone enjoyed them.
Got a lot of great stuff. It was truly amazing how the rain didn't even slow people down or keep them from coming.
It was a great day. Thanks to Cheryl for all her hard work in putting it together.
E-mail me any photos you took so I can put them on the website.

Boy, Lauras cookies could not have come at a better time! Thanks again ALL for making this such a special event!

this thread has become entirely dedicated to the cookies and how delicous they were! ~Ryan

I have a way with cookies! No secret recipe, just the one on the back of the Nestle's chocolate chip package.
I got some great plants in exchange and had a good time. Since I do patio gardening at my condo, I don't have a lot of plants to exchange so figured the cookies would be a good substitute.

I also had a great time and came home and planted many of the things I got. I'm SO glad you liked the manure--and it didn't smell too ripe either! We use it all the time in our flower and veg beds and since I had no plants to share--it was the ticket for me. I may try to pre-bag for the swap in the fall--makes things move a little faster--and less dirty. Had a great time-got lots of new plants and met some great people--what more could one ask for?

if there is another swap in the fall, we need more food and maybe an open bar? (nothing like a grey goose martini on a hot day) [j/k]. maybe we can host a swap in west knoxville to attract more middle TN people [lets be honest, im just too lazy to drive to south knoxville]. i do feel bad that i cant make the mid-TN swap, they would be so mad if they saw all those swank perenials i gave away at the ET swap. oh well maybe next year i'll make that one. ~Ryan

Well..I don't think movie the swap 15 miles away will attract more Middle TN people LOL. We will be moving the Fall swap though to an area with green grass and trees , so we can sit around in our chairs afterwards and talk with each other. Ryan, I can't believe you're that lazy that you can't drive 20 minutes to a swap ;o) ? Come on, you had a good time !!
I hope everyone tuned in this morning to the Garden Girls, they talked about our swap and what a great time they had, gave out the url to the website, and more !!

Cheryl

I listened to the girls this morning. I always learn so much from them. (Did you know the fleur-de-lis was designed after the iris and why? I know now!)
I was happy to hear that next month they'll be on during daylight hours (2-4 ;-) Did you notice they said we'll be having a fall swap?

Yes I did lol. They asked me if they could do a live remote from it , LOL. And yes the Iris got it's name from the Greek Goddess of the Rainbow, isn't that it Nancy ?

Cheryl

I think there was Crack in those cookies. Gosh they were incredible.

I haven't officially gone out to price it yet, but I would guesstimate that what I brought home could easily have cost me $1000 if I'd had to buy it all at a nursery. Thank you everyone for your generosity. I vow to grow these plants so well that I will have extras of all of them to share at the next spring swap!

I move that the following plants should only be brought to a swap by one of us, not ALL of us (lol!)

Yarrow (Achillea millifolium)
Sedum sarmentosum - the sedum with the little yellow flowers! (Thanks to Cheryl for the ID!)
Perilla fructescens - purple variety (Shiso)
Non-mature purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

Of course, this represents just about all I had to share this year... but everyone else had it, too! (Ok, I had a few interesting things, but not as *much* of them as of the things listed above!!)

-Regina

Just wanted to thank everyone for the great plants and the great time I had at the plant swap. If I come to anymore swaps I'm going to have to make more flower beds!
Kathy

I had a really great day at the swap!It was sooo good to meet everybody and see old friends. Cheryl -- you rock!!! Ryan -thank you for the perennials and the potting soil ( It's being put to good use).Laura - your cookies were awesome! I had a wonderful day.

Marianne

Marianne, did you get my email about the cannas? Let me know so I can get to digging!

Rebecca