PLEASE tell all your gardening friends, family, and colleagues! Were having the annual Central Indiana Plant Swap on May 18th.

ItÂs that time of the year and IÂm deliriously happy to be digging in the dirt and spreading the manure. I imagine that you are, too. Fiona is up to her eyeballs in alligators, so I said that I would be willing to coordinate this yearÂs plant swap.

Over the past few years, the numbers have started to grow. I got some terrific plants the last couple of years and got rid of a bunch of extras. I have a ton of stuff this year to share, and IÂm sure that many of you do, too. If you donÂt have many plants to share, come anyway. The people I have met at this event in the past have had very generous spirits. Most of us would be delighted to help out a new gardener with some of our extras.

THE DETAILS

Date: Sunday, May 18, 2008

Time: 2:00 P.M.

Location: Holliday Park, 6363 Spring Mill Road, Indianapolis, IN 46260

Directions inside the park: Once you enter the park take an immediate left. Then pull into the first parking lot on the right. We will be under the giant sycamore tree.

Bring yourself, plants & trades, family, friends, tables, chairs, beverages and snacks to share. IÂll bring some lemonade and cookies. It would be nice, but not necessary, if others would brings some treats.

TRADING MATERIALS: plants, well rooted cuttings potted up, bulbs, shrubs, happy seedlings, garden ornaments, extra gardening implements, gardening magazines, etc.

PLEASE MARK ALL PLANT MATERIALS WITH THE PLANT NAME AND CARE REQUIRED!!! Also, mark any plants as invasive or poisonous, if known. I just go to an online nursery that sells the plants that IÂm giving away and cut and paste the care instructions into a document. I print out the directions and staple them to the plant or container.

Since it worked fairly well last year, we're trying the Round Robin swap again:

Round One - pick one plant

Next Round - pick one plant

Next Round - pick two plants

Next Round - pick two plants

Next Round - pick three plants

Next Round - pick four plants

And so on, and so on....

This way everyone gets a chance to get some of the plants they really have on eye on. This works well and other swaps have had great success with it in the past. Everyone should be able to take home as many plants as they bring.

For folks who only bring a few plants, many of the folks who have LOTS of extra plants can usually be convinced to part with some of their extras AFTER the official Round Robin is finished.

Additionally, you can pre-arrange individual trades through other GardenWebber's trade lists. (PSSST! Everyone should update their trade lists!) These trades will happen before (or after) the big Round Robin trade.

Our Swap's motto is KEEP IT SIMPLE, HAVE FUN, MEET FRIENDS.

Some tips for the day:

Bring a box or container labeled with your name to put your new plants in after swapping.

If you have room in the car...bring an extra table to arrange your plants on.

Print out pictures of your plants in bloom, so folks will know what they look like in all their glory!

If it looks like rain, bring those rain coats, umbrellas, etc. We plan to meet even if it rains.

**Post here if you are attending so that we can all see who is coming and can check trade lists. Or email me, so we can get an approximate head count for the swap.

E-mail me if you wish to be put on the plant-swap e-mail list or if you have any questions.

I can't wait to see you all there! Hopefully we will have a great crowd with all the new gardening friends you may bring along!

Katie & Fiona

Here is a link that might be useful: Map of Holliday Park