Before every swap I add this information which I hope will help the newbies understand how our swap works. Some is borrowed from the hostess of the Ft Worth plant swap.

Just a few reminders that will help us all have a nicer swap experience. After 10 years of hostessing and attending these swaps I've learned a lot from others. This is especially helpful to newbies who have told me often that they were confused with the way things were done at the swap. Hopefully, this will help them a little.
When you arrive, please seek out the hostess if we don't greet you first. Especially if you haven't been before. Any of us will help you with any questions you might have. Get a name tag, sign up for door prizes, and if we have one, sign the list for future notifications of swaps.

We will have door prizes. If you'd like to donate to our stash, please bring a new or gently used gardening item. We usually include things like fertilizer, gloves, tools, outdoor decorations, books, etc.

Garden Junk and Garden Art is also welcome for trading. Hoses, trellises, rusty buckets, signs, you name it ! We've had people bring homemade soap, mosaic pots, and other great items.

We welcome donations to help pay for the rental of the pavilion. Although it is voluntary, please consider that you're leaving the swap with plants that would have cost so much more at a nursery. A few dollars in the jar will go far to help us rent this nice pavilion for the next swap.

You may consider bringing cardboard boxes to haul home your booty. You may end up taking home more than you bring, and it's not always easy to get it all back in your car. Packing in boxes will allow you to stack them and keep your plants safe.

Bring something to use for labeling the plants you receive. Old window blinds are excellent for this purpose ! They last forever and they're kept out of landfills.

On that note, please label your plants for others. It saves a lot of time at the swap. You don't have to tell everyone what each plant is, since they already have names on them.

Another helpful hint, which takes more time, but is great to have: consider putting a notebook together of your plants. Add pictures and descriptions of each plant you bring. Over time, you can add to it as you accumulate different types of plants. This also saves time at the swap. Others can view your notebook to see what a certain plant will look like.

While swapping, please don't take plants off other's tables without asking. They may be across the room promising that same plant to someone else. Please find the owner and ask permission. Everyone's different, of course, and may bid you take whatever you like. But it's good to err on the side of caution, and ask anyway. It's a good idea for all of us to put our name on our table so that everyone knows who to find when they see a plant they'd like.

Plants under the tables are not for swapping. This is where we place the plants we're taking home.

Please do not stick a cutting into a pot and call it a plant. At the Ft Worth swap they ask you to leave if this happens. We've never asked anyone to leave, but I've felt like it a few times. I have been sorely disappointed and very upset when I received what was called a plant, only to discover at home that my "plant" was a cutting stuck in the dirt that morning. You may bring cuttings, of course, but please let the other person know that you have cuttings, and not rooted plants. Some cuttings will not develop into plants, and it makes the person feel like they've been ripped off.

Some plants are special or rare and the swapper may want something special in return. This is understandable. On the other hand, some of us don't always need something in return. Please consider everyone's feelings while swapping.

Last but not least, have a good time. Make new friends ! I've met really great folks at the swaps and we're still swapping 10 years later !!

My dog broke my leg on Friday, so I'm not sure right now if I'll be in a position to make the swap, although I hope enough time will go by and I will be healed enough to make the drive. I am expecting surgery in the next few days, and your prayers would be very much appreciated.

As soon as I can, I hope to be back here with a list of things I might bring. I would like to make pre-arranged trades if possible, especially since I may be attending the San Antonio swap the same day. In the meantime, please post what you might have to bring, and what you are looking for, and perhaps we can all get started with swapping.

If you have garden "stuff" to share, please let me know. I have so many plants already and would like other things which don't need water and care. Your stuff really doesn't even need to be garden-related. If you have anything you might want to get rid of, let me know. It might be just what I need. Last year I traded for some drawer pulls off an old dresser !

I hope to see familiar faces, and new ones ! Thank you, Charlotte for taking on this responsibility again !

patty

Patty, So sorry to here about your leg. I have a broken finger, a jammed finger, a pulled chest muscle and a brand new floater in my eye, all from clearing land for my wildlife exemption. I will send my thoughts up to the cosmos for your well being.

I too will try to make it but am not sure. A lot is going on this spring.

Update on Patty for the Buda folks: Steve just called and said the surgery went fine. The doctor was pleased that he found no ligament damage or other problems so the broken tip of the tibia was screwed in place and that was it. She'll go home from the hospital tomorrow and be wearing a knee brace for a number of weeks. Also she'll have physical therapy to make sure everything heals correctly. She's in good hands with Steve -- he can cook, clean and do laundry :-)

Of course, no one would be exactly happy to be missing gardening time in this good weather, but I think this is going to be one of those long springs so there will be time to do lots of things before the intense heat sets in.

Here's three cheers for you Patty -- hurray, hurray, hurry! And prayers as well :-)

Patty - I hope you heal quickly. I am keeping you in my prayers.

Mara - I hope you are better soon, too!

This is the season for injuries it seems. A tendon in my ankle was torn in a car accident, and it has been S-L-O-W to heal. I hope to make it to the swap, but will see.

Thanks Charlotte for all of your hard work.

Jana

Hi Jana, good to hear from you. Thank you for your prayers. I'm itching to get out and play in the dirt ! Sorry to hear about your injury.

You, too, Mara. My goodness ! Hope you got your work done first. I hope we both make it to the swap.

patty

You may have read this on the main forum or the SAPS thread already, but if not Patty wanted her friends to know that she is back in the hospital so can't answer emails right now.

She had trouble taking deep breaths night before last and tests revealed that she has blood clots in both lungs and in her knee. She is, of course, on blood thinners and is being carefully monitored.

I just talked to Patty's hubby Steve and he said she has less pain when breathing than yesterday. The doctors expect a good outcome since basically she is in excellent health. The doctors said she'll probably be released from the hospital tomorrow or Monday. Let's keep her in our prayers.

Get well soon, Patty!

Omar

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS !

They worked. My surgeon today called me Miracle Child. He told me of a man, not a year older than I, who recently was not as lucky. Very sad. And very scary.

Thank you all for your well-wishes and positive thoughts coming my way. They are very much appreciated ! Your offers of help will not be forgotten.

I came home Tuesday afternoon. Feeling a bit puny still, but time will help that I hope. On crutches for a little while and starting physical therapy next week.

Unfortunately, with all of this going on, I don't think I will be able to make the swap. I had thought I could make the Buda and San Antonio swaps, which are scheduled the same day. But that may be a little too much to take on right now. I look forward to seeing everyone in the fall.

patty

Next Saturday is the swap. Hope everyone is enjoying the nice weather and getting ready for the swap.
Here is the map for the park. Let me know if you want to be added to the evite.
Start posting your haves and wants.
Charlotte

P.S. Patty I hope you are getting better and at least get to go to the San Antonio Swap.

Here is a link that might be useful: Buda Park Map

Sorry the Map link didn't work. The Buda City Park is at
Austin St. & San Antonio St, Buda, TX 78610, USA on the Google Maps. Google earth even shows the pavilion.

Folks, it has been years since I have been to a plant swap yet Charlotte dutifully keeps sending me an invite and I thank you dear.
Unless something drastic happens I should be there.
I have some tree seedlings - roughleaf dogwood, some type of wild plum, gum bumilia(chittamwood), elm?, and maybe some western soapberry. I have hackberry seedlings, too, if you like the weed tree of Texas. And, yaupon holly.
Any takers?
Looking forward to seeing some of you again and meeting the rest.

We had a great swap. There were 15 swappers that signed in and a couple more wandered in and out. A nice variety of plants and enough empty pots and trays thanks to Wanda to get everyone stocked up for the next swap. We had more door prizes than food but we had a nice lunch as usual. We even had a few swappers caravan to a plant sale nearby after the swap. I put new batteries in the camera and forgot to take even one picture!
Hope to see everyone again in the fall.
I will do my best to reserve a different weekend than the San Antonio swap!
Charlotte

Oh man I missed the swap! Bummer. Patty sorry to hear about yourleg and hospital stay but thank God you are on the mend. Take care of yourself, and Charlotte Maybe I can make it to the fall swap.Will be coming over here to check in more often Marcie.