I hate to sound ignorant, but while I have attended many many plant "sales", I have never been to a "swap".

Can you explain to me exactly how it works?

Thanks!

Yay! A Virginia plant swap too! ("Rain date." "Rain date." Weenies :-).)

BreezyB,
Posted a response for you on a different thread on the VA forum. Suz

Here is a link that might be useful: HOW A SWAP WORKS

where will this plant swap be held? You mentioned Oatlands. thanks, I'll also check the Virginia forum.

The swap is in Chantilly, near South Riding. Here are the details. Ask away, contact Sylvia (tel and email below), or me at if you have questions!

Date: Saturday, April 30, 2005 (severe rain date of Sun., May 1st)
Time: 10 am to 2 pm
Place: Ticonderoga Farms, Inc., 26175 Ticonderoga Road, Chantilly, VA 20152 (near South Riding) Â a wonderful location with room to spare, multiple parking lots, a pavilion, barn, lake, and picnic area with tables.
Cost: FREE!
Food: The Clean Earth Foundation will offer lunch and drinks for sale, with all proceeds to benefit the Foundation. Otherwise, bring a picnic lunch!

Plant Swap Information: This friendly and unique event combines a traditional plant swap with a plant sale at hugely discounted prices. Bring plants to swap or, if you are just getting started and have no plants to swap, bring anything related to gardening (books, pots, etc.); chocolate, cookies, or other dessert; or if nothing else, simply bring enthusiasm and an email address for future volunteerism where you can help and learn how to make your garden greener and cleaner! For the sale, incredible plants, including specimen and native plants, will be offered by Ticonderoga Farms as door prizes or at hugely discounted prices. All Ticonderoga Farms plant sale proceeds will go to the Clean Earth Foundation. For detailed plant swap information, please contact Ms. Setash at Ssetash@erols.com or at (703) 203-7020.

Also, the link below is to the Virginia forum message on posting "WANTS" for the April 30th swap.

Looking forward to this!

Here is a link that might be useful: N. VA Swap w/Twist - WANTED

I'm so excited to hear this! I'm moving to Jefferson, MD the first week of April, so I wasn't able to start any plants from seed. I'll be there with baked goods to exchange. Are dogs allowed?

Thanks,

What kind of dog? If she is potty trained I think you might be able to swap her for some daylilies! ;-)

- Brent

WD, I believe the information posted early said that dogs, kids, and even non-gardening spouses are welcome. Of course, all should be under control, and be well enough behaved to be okay in a crowd. It is less clear whether dogs are welcome at the MD swap.

Last time there was a plant sale at Blandy Farm (VA Arboretum), both dogs came with us. Pan, my Great Dane came with me to look at the plants, while my husband took Khan (GSD/Malamute mix) for a walk. While we were there, we saw plenty of other people with dogs, although I'm pretty sure that mine were among the largest.

I never miss a chance to show them off:

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Suja

There are dogs in those pictures? All I saw were some beautiful gardens!

- Brent

Well behaved definitely - & not just in the eye of the owner - lol!!! I'm a dedicated dog-lover (have 4 - Husky, Treeing Walker Coonhound, Tennessee Plott Hound, Doberman), & although relatively well-behaved, I would never think about inflicting them on folks out to have a good time in a public place.

For one thing, there is nothing more disgusting than stepping in you-know-what or watching a dog - even on a leash - lifting it's leg on a plant display or someone's picnin basket while the owner was busy chatting. Have seen it & would prefer not to have to deal with it.

Another question I'd have is how can you really enjoy the day, pick up & look at plants, buy them &/or food items, & still deal with your dog?

Please - don't take this as anti-dog, even tho I know that's what it sounds like. I've just had some unpleasant experiences dealing with other people's dogs at plant sales & other public outings.

Thank you, Brent. I did have to post something with flowers in it to keep this OT.

Breezyb, I understand where you're coming from. That's one of the reasons why Khan went on a walk, and Pan came with me. He is the one who is into marking, although generally he only marks shrubbery, and I can in fact tell him 'Not There'. Besides, he is most definitely not a people dog, so I don't foist a lot of people on him, although he has been in crowds and done just fine.

Except for the Ooh-ing and Aah-ing, having Pan with me is almost like not having a dog there. She is practically attached to me by the waist, leash or no-leash, and while she enjoys the attention she gets from people, is very focused on me. This is one dog who can be taken anywhere with me with full confidence that all she's going to do is amble around behind me. If I thought that my dogs would be a nuisance, they won't go out with me. I rarely receive anything but complements about their behavior, lots of them of the 'I wish I could get mine to act like that' ilk.

As for enjoying myself, she was tethered to me by a short leash, and basically stands there when I'm looking at stuff. Since I needed DH for the plants anyway, I just pick them out, and after making the rounds, the dogs get put away while we go back and buy/load the plants, and I went back to get some funnel cake for everyone. I will admit to being a bit disappointed by what was there. The two trees that I wanted, no one had.

This time around, if I come, my parents who are visiting from India will most likely come, and I'll drag DH in as well. If it is a nice day, the dogs will most likely come as well, although I'm guessing that DH and Khan will prefer to stay well away from the crowds, and will do their usual anti-social 'We're going for a walk'. Pan may come to the sale/swap area with me if no one has any objections, but if people would rather not deal with a big old dog (and some people are afraid, have allergies, etc.), I'll leave her behind. She has SA, mostly associated with me, so she won't be happy, but she'll live.

Suja