Mysticjane: I just smooshed a ton of rose slugs over the weekend. My bushes are totally skeletonized.

I have hypericum calycinum (St. John's Wort) and nandina domestica if anyone is interested.

Any other wish lists?

Hedy, I'd love a little St. Johns wort. As far as wish lists go, does anyone have a bit of Joe pye weed to spare?

MysticJane - sure, a chartreuse heuchera would be fine, too. It's going in a shaded area with hostas and other heucheras and ferns. Chartreuse works! ;)

Kanani - I'm sure I can bring you some Joe Pye.

Marty, do you have any extra Joe Pye?

I'm sure I do! It tends to wander and spread... it's just coming up so I can see it now, finally. I'll look around out there. Otherwise, I know there is a large stand out in my meadow I can always tap (that's where the ones in the garden came from...)

I have pictures of the iris tectorum and the salvia pratensis 'indigo'.

Hedy, I'm sold! That salvia pratensis is gorgeous, if you have enough (are the flower spikes really a foot long, per one online description?)

At least a foot. It seeds around but no underground runners. I can't seem to pull out a lot of seedlings because they're so beautiful.

Updated list of what I'm bringing (requests - I'll bring more):

For Richie: one each of the two yarrows ('Strawberry Seduction' and 'Oertel's')
For Hedy: chives, hosta 'Gold Standard', yarrow ('Strawberry Seduction'), Joe Pye
For Carl: chives, stephanandra, deutzia slender 'Nikko'
For Mysticjane: chives
For Kanani: Joe Pye

Am I missing anything/anyone?

Might bring a quiche...

Marty, can you add garlic chives for me to your list?

Yep! I dug them... just forgot to list them! Joe Pye AND garlic chives for Kanani

does anyone have Shasta daisies?

Morning - I have some in Boston that I can dig up tonight - they might be a little sad by Sunday b/c of heat, travel and neglect but they are pretty hardy...PLUS they originally came from a lady in RI...so I am happy to share!

Thanks MysticJane, you sure are coming from a few miles away! I appreciate it.

This is how I am learning the state of CT! Driving around it! My niece graduated from Fairfield a few weekends ago so I drove down to that area and poked around...so this weekend Woodbury! with a trunk full of plants! :-)

casey1gw - what is that pink flower in your salvia picture??? is that a poppy??? I love the combo. I have to get better at 'merchandising' my plants together...or companion planting..whatever it is called!

iris picture...sorry!

I bet that's a peony in Hedy's picture? Looks a lot like a single-form red one I used to have at my old house ... lovely and fragrant and simple looking. Dropped its petals if you looked at it wrong, but otherwise, I loved it ;)

Yes it's a single peony. I prefer them because they're shorter and don't flop. It seems to last longer for me because it's not on the ground after a rain. I have several and they last for maybe 2 weeks- not much but beautiful when blooming.

By the way.. is there a rain date? I ask because the weather report for Sunday is worse than for Saturday. I know we've met before in Monroe when the weather was not so great and that we're a hardy group, but the storms in western CT have been worse than down here along the coast.

Molie

Anyone else for salvia? I'm digging today. BTW I have a light pink single peony that drops its petals very quickly.

No rain date - rain or shine. Hopefully if it does rain it will not be like the last two. They have been intense! I have space we can go into if it rains - not as convenient, but dry. And lightening protected. :-0

I will supply plates and cups and lemonade and was thinking of getting one of those long sandwiches - probably turkey? You all can discuss the chocolate sitch. I haven't been following this thread very closely so I don't know if you have discussed food at all, but I know that Marty requires chocolate.

I'm making peanut butter cookies with peanut butter and milk chocolate chips.

Everyone requires chocolate so I'm bringing chocolate pudding cake.

Hi All, New to this group, via Marty. Loved reading this blog, you sound like a very fun group and we look forward to tomorrow's gathering.

We have a few plants to share, especially Tide Hill Boxwood (drawfs), Trilliums, Jack-in-the-Pulpits, and ferns... anyone interested? Marty, if you have any more yarrow ('Strawberry Seduction'), I would love a small bit. Also, would be interested in some Columbine, of any sort, and Sheffield Daisy, if available.

Java and Jazz, we have mint for your mojitos...; )))

Deb, my husband and I live a few houses up from you on Upper Grassy and have a couple of folding tables to offer up for tomorrow. If you would like, we could bring them down this afternoon or in the morning tomorrow.

David and Nancy

David and Nancy welcome. The more the merrier.

I would love a jack and maybe a red trillium if you have extras.

Hedy

I'm bring a salad of some sort.

Welcome, David and Nancy. I can bring a columbine For you. I'd love a trillium if you have extra.

Nancy and David, welcome! The swap will be wonderful... great group, great plants, great food. I'll bring you some of my dwarf blue Columbines that are great to own because they're easily seeded and always come back for me.

I'd LOVE a trillium if there are any left.... had two (red & white) at my former home and loved them. I have a long shaded garden where these will be welcome additions.

I'm going out now to dig up more & label all plants and will report back soon as to who-gets-what. And I'll also pitch my last requests.

As for my rain-date question, I'll wear rain gear..... it couldn't be a Swap without rain.

Molie

Dave and Nancy - Greetings and welcome and thanks for the offer! You can stop by any time that is convenient. Looking forward to meeting a neighbor!

Molie - Please wear yellow full suit Gloucester fisherman rain gear and you can be our talisman against rain! : )

Deb, We will be down about 9:00 tomorrow with tables. d&n

Okay, this is what I’m bringing to tomorrow’s Swap:

3 ALCHEMILLA mollis... CARL gets first pick (one is starting to flower).

1 FILIPENDULA rubra... potted up today for MARTY. This should stay in the pot for a while to root.

6 HELLEBORE Pine Knots ...4 are tagged for MARTY, KANANI, MYSTICJANE, and HEDY.

3 ALYSSUM saxitile ‘Summit’ ... tagged for HEDY, KANANI and MARTY. These also need to root.

2 SENECIO aurea plants ... one tagged for KANANI.

1 NEPETA that’s been potted up for a while and should be well rooted. Maybe someone will take this home?

1 THYMUS x citriodus (Lemon Thyme) for MYSTICJANE.

4 small AQUILEGIA plants (lost the tag but brought a photo) ... NANCY and DAVID can have their pick or take them all. These are truly lovely, come back, and self-seed or you can throw the seeds around. I just potted them up so you might want to keep them in the pots until they’re well rooted.

My “Wish List” may or may not be available. But here it is again.

MYSTICJANE: I’d love some of the chartreuse or dark Heuchera if no one else “owns” them. Any more Delphiniums?

CARL: I’d enjoy either or both of the Aster ‘Rayden’s Favorite’ or Chrysanthemum ‘Country Girl’ if they’re not been tagged.

KANANI MILLES: If you have a Tiarella, I’d love it.

NANCY and DAVID, I’d love a Trillium.

See you all tomorrow.

Molie

My allergies are absolutely killing me (actually, I NEVER have spring allergies but things are so bad this year I do, lol - and they are indeed killing me!) but anyway, I was thinking of not attending tomorrow, since I don't have much to share and don't really need anything.

However, Hedy's chocolate pudding cake has changed my mind in an instant. I'll load up on allergy meds and bring my fork, if nothing else! :)

Allergies are awful this season... I know. It will be good to see you, even with red eyes and nose.

I pulled up 2 of the famous dwarf Korean lilacs just awhile ago and potted them up and will bring them. Sometimes it's a crapshoot if they make it. I have 2 blue fescue grass, one big Pyracantha for kanani, 2 low bush blueberry and at least 1 is for Carl. I also have 2 very small piney shrubs, don't know their names but I have pictures. One is a low bush and the other a taller pine tree with funky pine cones.

Evening All!

Javaandjazz - can you please put Kanani Miles name on one of the fescue! I had that for her on my list - but my fescue doesn't have even one blue strand and I am wondering if it is DOA.

My list is:

Shasta Daisy - javaandjazz; Heuchera - CT lady, kanani miles and moliep; Astilbe - casey1gw; green coneflower - kanani miles; Delphinium - ctlady.

Moliep - I don't have any more good soil to pot anything else up - but I can dig up some delphinium tomorrow morning and throw it in the car and see if it survives?

I will bring some watermelon chunks (with toothpicks!) to share!

I'm bringing an asparagus quiche (NOT a chocolate one -- gasp! :) Hope the rain will hold off for those of you traveling far!! I'm so glad to see this swap revived! Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow! Here what I've got:

For Hedy: yarrow ('Strawberry Seduction'), hosta 'Gold Standard', chives, Joe Pye weed
For Kanani: garlic chives, Joe Pye weed
For Richie: yarrow ('Strawberry Seduction' and 'Oertel's Rose'), echinacea
For Carl: Deutzia slender 'Nikko', stephanandra incisa 'crispa', chives
For MysticJane: chives
For Nancy T: yarrow 'Strawberry Seduction' if I can get another piece in the morning

Am I forgetting anyone (or anything?) I've got extras potted up of the deutzia and the stephanandra and some miscellaneous other things...

/ Marty

First of all, thank you, Deb, for hosting! That's some place you have - wow!! Fun to see it after hearing about it from people in town, fun to tour it, and fun to see those "old" garden areas! Kind of had a "Secret Garden" feel to it...

Second, Seb, we often go over to Brookfield via the "back route" which I gather from Andy is quite close to your house. I could always get your jacket from Deb and drop it at your house on one of our Costco treks. :)

Third, I can't wait to get all these new plants in the ground! (Molie... did you figure out what I was supposed to bring you? I checked the thread and couldn't see what it was, but am happy to dig something and get it to you somehow...!)

Lots of fun... I already have requests for next time:

1. More sunshine (well, ANY sunshine, actually)

2. More wine

3. More of that chicken salad! :)

4. More wine (did I say that already??)

5. Oh yeah, and plants...

And I vote for in-between gatherings over the summer!

/ Marty

I second 1 - 5. We had to go to the lake house to pick something up so didn't get home until 3. Just had enough time to take out the plants before the rain. It's POURING- boy did we luck out today.

I had another thought about a summer get together. I know everyone thought Greenwich, where I have gardens with lots of plants, was too far, so people could come to my lake house. Marty, if you could get to Brookfield, you can get to New Fairfield on the other side of the lake. Not many plants- too hilly but a great view.

Hedy

Absolutely! (Greenwich wasn't a problem for me, either, actually, but certainly New Fairfield is closer... but I would also love to see your gardens from whence all this amazing stuff comes... so any site, as long as there is wine, is fine with me ;)

We are open to any venue for a summer soirée as Hyacinth would say!

Thank you all for such a lovely day, and for all of the wonderful plants! Excited to get planting, especially now that some rain is in the forecast.

Thank you, Deb, for hosting us and letting us tromp through your new digs. What a wonderful property and house you have! And it was so good to see everyone!

Hedy, I found a pink astilbe with your name on it on the reserved table. I'll try to keep it alive for you till next time! :)

Dee

Oh, and next time, I'll wear my pearls! ;)

Deb, I also want to thank you for hosting at your wonderful place .... and for the tour of your barn, house and gardens. What a spectacular view from that side lawn! I can just imagine the fabulous art gatherings that were held there many years ago .... who was that owner/artist again?

I also left something behind.... a slotted spoon for the meatballs. Deb, could you bring the next time we meet?

Jane, as soon as we got home, I took your Delphinium out of the plastic bag and planted it. Mother Nature has kindly taken care of the watering and so I'll wait for it to open. I forgot to ask you if you know the variety.... maybe yes? maybe no? Everything else will have to wait until the rain stops... maybe Wednesday.

Hope everyone got home before the skies opened... Carl, you had one of the longest rides. You weren't riding into the storm, were you?

And speaking of Carl.... yes, let's do this again where we can bring more wine ... your chardonnay was delicious!

Marty, I can't remember what I may have requested ... don't worry about it.

I like your and other's suggestions of a summer soirée .... with bermuda shorts, summer hats and pearls, of course. It's not important to swap plants then, especially because transplanting can be "iffy" in the hotter weather. But it IS important that there'd be...

..... More great food. By the way, I'd love the Chicken Salad and Quiche recipes (email them to me?)

.... Lots of fruits and salads... those were delicious

.... Desserts of chocolate and peanut butter

.... More Wine

And to avoid confusion about my name, this time I sign off with my "real" name. "Molie" is the nickname my children gave me years and years ago. Besides "Mom" they usually refer to me as "The Mole."

Merla

Morning All! I am also throwing out my thanks to Deb for hosting a great swap! It was so nice to meet all of you in person! Thanks too for all the plants - I got them all in the ground last night before the rain (one benefit of living east of you all - the rains didn't hit till about 7pm). I can't wait to see how all the new herbs, raspberries, flowers, etc take. Hopefully yours will flourish as well!

Deb, your house was the perfect venue so thank you for being such a welcoming hostess. I had to tell you that Rolfe talked about your house all the way home.

Hedy

Hi all - Thanks - it was fun! You are welcome back any time! Everyone was hardy New Englanders to swap in the rain with smiles on our faces. Notify Tree Oracle. ;-)

I'm glad I know whose coat and spoon these are now.

Seb - I go to Costco all the time also, so if you shoot me an email with your phone number we could rendezvous somewhere to get your coat back to you.

Merla - I will keep your spoon safe - unless you want me to mail it to you? (you are far, right?)

xo
Deb

Deb, we're about 45 minutes away near New Haven. If you and/or your husband ever come down this way, we'd love to have you over to sit on the deck... watch the river... visit the gardens... drink some wine. Otherwise, we will see you again soon.

Merla