Monday, April 8, 2013

At the Plant Swap

Spring is for swapping plants.  Our little group of about 25 - 30 avid gardeners meets twice a year to swap plants and share advice about gardening in San Antonio.  It was chilly (50F), cloudy,  and windy this past Saturday when we met at a local park but we're not just fair weather gardeners so we persevered and the sun came out eventually.  I've been attending four years and hosting the swap for the past two years.  I'm still trying to figure out how everyone seems to go home with more plants than they brought!

Here's Tally setting up her trades, she makes the four hour trip from Galveston to visit with us and share plants.  Her garden was wiped out by Hurricane Ike in 2008, yet she always has so many plants to share, especially crinum and hymenocallis bulbs you can see on the bench in front of her.  



See that cereus cactus in the pot?  Tally traded one of those to me for rocks from my yard.  She likes rocks  because there aren't many rocks on an island in the Gulf of Mexico or as she puts it "all our rocks are pulverized into sand". Now that cactus baby is in my hellstrip.  Several new arms will grow out of the top. Very cool.


Lisa, a nurse, knows how to simplify her setup by putting everything on a rolling cart which also serves as her trading table.  She brought yummy cranberry muffins to share.


 Lots of plant discussions underway, Lisa (l) is talking with Sheila who always has excellent advice on cooking with unusual plants and herbs and Ken who grows the best pepper plants.
 

Klaus, Tonya, and Barbra sharing plant photo albums on a phone.


That's Joey's table right behind them.  Somehow I missed getting a photo of Joey.  He works in the propagation greenhouse at the San Antonio Botanical Gardens and is a great resource for plant info. This time he brought Claret Cup Cactus (Echinocereus triglochidiatus) ready to bloom.  In addition to being a beautiful bloom, it attracts hummingbirds.  It's been planted right next to the new cereus cactus in the hellstrip.



Linda lives in the hill country and always brings wonderful plants like this Hoja Santa (Piper auritum).


Even though Linda herself seems to have missed getting in the photos, this is her hat and I selected some native Antelope Horn Milkweed seeds for my butterfly garden.  Linda's an expert on butterfly plants and we discussed an article I read recently about possible disease problems with tropical milkweed.  She convinced me it's not a problem.


Ragna, Lisa, and Mizan (L-R) could be sharing photos of the kids and grandkids, but they're not.  Those are gardens and plants they're admiring on the tablet.
 


Paul trimmed back his yuccas and estafiate (in the white bag) to share this time.  He's in the red jacket above left.  He has his back to the camera but at least I got part of him in a photo.


I decided to give the yucca a try.  Here's my cart loaded up and ready to roll to the car.


I brought home a number of veggie plants this time.  Champion tomato and Casper eggplant should be good in our heat.  Holy mole pepper and purple tomatillo for salsa and our favorite chiles rellenos.

One of Paul's yuccas has been planted in the island bed near the terracotta pot.


My garden would not be nearly so nice or as regionally appropriate without the plants and advice I have received from local gardeners at swaps over the last few years.  Thanks to all my gardening friends who help make this event such a success year after year.  If you would like to attend our fall swap, simply "Like" my page on Facebook and I will post the information there when the next swap is scheduled.

19 comments:

  1. Good haul! Everything looks lovely Shirley. I wish I would have known about this - I would have totally came and shared.

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    1. You are definitely invited next time and there are several swaps throughout the year by other groups as well. Most of them are posted on Facebook groups to make it easier. Email me at stffox1atgmaildotcom and I'll fill you in.

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  2. Hooray for plant swaps! I've attended a few, and they are always fun and educational. Gardeners are such generous people.

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    1. So generous their generosity overwhelmed me the first few years as I faced my yard full of rocks and little else. These gardeners helped me so much and now I have plants to give back which I am so proud of.

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  3. Wow,
    Gorgeous pictures!

    Really enjoyed reading this! keep it coming!

    Thanks

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    1. Thank you, I enjoy checking out the excellent plant recommendations on your site.

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  4. What fun! I'm going to my first ever plant swap this coming weekend. I don't need any more plants but have a few that need new homes but mostly, I'm going to chat with other garden bloggers! Your swap looks wonderful!

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    1. It is fun, several of our gardeners no longer need plants and bring their extras to share with others.

      It's also easy to say you won't bring any new plants home, but just try that and see what really happens. I'll look for your post on all the plants you brought home next week.

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  5. Replies
    1. As I was going through the photos I realized you weren't in any of them Pat. I'll be sure to catch you next time! Better yet, I'll head over to your garden with my camera soon. I think readers would enjoy your cottage garden, grape arbor, and pond.

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  6. Oh my goodness... I LOVE the idea of a plant swap!! That is so neat. I love being outside and wish I could have a garden for herbs and veggies. My Weim won't allow it.
    It's so neat to find a local blogger!
    -april

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    1. Thanks for stopping by April, it is fun to meet local bloggers. You would need a raised bed surrounded with a wire fence. We have so many different animals here that I built mine of concrete blocks and covered it to keep them out.

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  7. We (Portland area bloggers) just started doing this. We have one year under our belts and the spring swap coming up soon. It's been fabulous, and you're so right: when you swap with other plant nuts, it's an ongoing learning experience.
    Your newbies look right at home in your garden.

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    1. I'm so glad to hear of other swaps going on, it's a great way to learn what works in your area. There are some plants I never see in nurseries so swapping is the best way to get them.

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  8. Looks like a great time! And you got some great plants. Love the Claret Cup Cactus.

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    1. It will be pretty when it blooms.

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  9. I like your new cactus acquisition. Plant swaps are lots of fun. The bloggers do one in Austin each month too.

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    1. They are fun, one group here does meet and swap each month, but twice a year works best for me. I do attend various garden meetups without swapping too.

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  10. I actually went home with fewer plants. Yeah! I try but don't always succeed in not bringing home as many. There is always room for more rocks. This fall we are coming up a couple of days early to do the tourist thing, visit some of the groups yards and....collect rocks lol! Oh, and dig mesquite since I forgot to bring a shovel. I could not for the life of me remember Johns name, I planted the artemesia all over the yard we got from him and it is doing great, bonus, the chickens don't eat it.
    Tally HO!

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