Yaay!

I was waiting for this!

I'm available for Sept or Oct 6.

-Tina

My gardens are so bone dry, I'm not sure how much I can easily or successfully dig, but I'm in (have some potted up things I can offer if all else fails ...)

Either day works for me although the 29th feels, somehow, awfully... SOON? Maybe it's because it was 93 degrees yesterday?! So ready for fall!!

Marty

And if you do it in October, I can get in my annual
NE leaf peeping as well :>)

Got another Hydrangea 'Nikko'. . .Jane? And your
Japanese painted ferns survived in their pots, Richie, if you still want them.

Carl

Carl, I'll still take the fern. Thanks! So October 6th then?

Hi I would be interested in participating, as well. What part of the state are we talking? I am in Fairfield County. @ctlady, we had been bone dry until just tonight....finally, some LONG LONG overdue rain!

I can't do the 6th....

Dee

We usually meet in Monroe at Wolfe Park off Purdy Hill Rd

Carl, I'll take that hydrangea too. I'm helping a friend landscape his yard. Thanks.

Yikes! I guess I'd better get out there and pot up some things. Sorry, but this has been an awful season for gardening. I've kind of ignored my gardens the last few weeks.

I know I have more baby Hellebores Pine Knot strain and Veronica Waterperry that I wanted to pull up. I'll think about some other stuff I may have.

Rich, I'll also list whatever I have on FB.

Also, Carl, I'd love a painted fern if you have an extra.

The 6th of October would be O.K. with me, BUT,
if we do the 13th, maybe Dee would come?

Don't know about you folks up there. but it's already
feeling like October 13th done here! Nightime temps
in the 40's? Where is last July when you need it?

Carl

Oh sorry Carl, I misread Dee. The 13th is fine for me too. It was 45 degrees when I got up this morning!

Oh ya, the kousa dogwood seedlings that I brought to the spring swap have grown and I have plenty. Too young to be put in the ground yet at least where you want to place them but should be sunk in the ground in a protected area to sleep for the winter.

Yes, I can do the 13th. But as always, I defer to the group. If the 6th works better for the majority, I will just have to wait for spring. But if the 13th is the day, I'm there!

Been toying with the idea of - gasp! - downsizing, so this may be the opportunity to put my money where my mouth is and get rid of some stuff....

Dee

Where's everyone else?

13th is fine. Does anyone want to try growing an Arabica coffee plant?

I have four....maybe more if I can separate them nicely.

-Tina

Forgot to offer a Prunus Maritimus (beach plum).

I can't recall who lives near the beach. But, would you like it? I don't have enough sun in my yard to help it thrive.

When it was given to me, it was large and doing well in the 5 gallon planter. It is still alive but is half the size.

Please take it before I kill it....

Also, there's an interesting write up about it on Wikipedia. The first documented beach plum in CT died recently.

-Tina

I think I'm going to pass up on this swap. Just sitting here thinking how much I've got on my plate here and my plants are not even ready. I hope you all have a great time and I'll see you all in the spring. Enjoy, Richie

It sounds as if we only have 3-4 people interested, so I'm inclined to say let's hold off until spring. The swap works best with a good number of people participating so when you get down to just a few, it's probably best to postpone til spring.

Having said that, if more people chime in, I'm game, though not quite sure what I would have to offer given how dry it still is out there. I tried to pull some weeds this morning and the ground was like concrete!

Cannot do the 13th at all, in case that's on the table. But maybe we should put our energy into potting things up for spring and go for a bang-up spring swap with lots of new people??

Marty, I'm thinking the same thing. Doesn't seem to be too much interest, so maybe holding off till spring would be better.

Although..... I was thinking..... since there are only a handful of us, maybe a garden tour would be better than a swap? Carl could still drive up and join us and we could go visit a garden somewhere.... I remember what a great time we all had when we went to Logee's...

Thoughts?
Dee

Okay with me to hold off until spring, especially since I have been cutting back things and getting them winter ready --- plus I haven't even potted up those baby Hellebores. If anyone wants them and is not far away, let me know. You can come by and I'll dig them up.

This has been a very strange year in my yard. So many plants that usually look wonderful in the fall are lackluster this year. I think I've lost my gardening edge.

Molie

O.K. So it looks as though my Fall trip to Connecticut
is in jeopardy. . .so I'll just by-pass CT and head
straight to Vermont! :>)

Spring is fine with me, and like everyone else, I'll have
way more plants to offer. No more "Open Days" garden
tours this year in CT, Dee, so you'll have to come up
with a suggestion. . .just don't forget to give me a
"heads up". . .

Carl

I agree completely, Molie! My garden is most unusual this year: things that are usually tall aren't, and things that usually aren't, are. I just dug out a bank of hostas today to move them and the soil is like dust. Not a drop of moisture in it. And the hostas all look the way they would normally look much later in the season. Looks like mid-October in my garden! I feel like just cutting it all back and being done with it, it looks so ratty. Only the native asters are going gangbusters... and Hedy's inula, which has bloomed its little heart out this year. Carl's solidago "Fireworks" is putting on a show as well. (So I guess I really shouldn't be complaining... and it is great incentive to start a list for spring!!)

I'm fine waiting til spring -- we get a better turnout then, and everyone feels more enthused about getting out in the garden. I did well overwintering things in my garage last winter (watering once or twice) so I am going to pot stuff up this fall and try that again. (Worked better than the year I tried "heeling them in" down by the barn under a massive pile of leaves... our rodent friends had a field day all winter under that lovely blanket, and by spring, when I pulled out the pots, there was dirt strewn every which way, daylily tubers were gnawed, whole plants just poof! gone. At least in the garage, my furry friends seem to exercise at least a semblance of respect...)

Well, I just did a quick google search, and some of the places that popped up are:

Bartlett Arboretum
Glebe House
Wickham Park
Hillstead
Bellamy-Ferriday House

Looks like we'd just miss the last day of Hollister House (9/28). I have never been to any of the above and don't know if they are worth the trip (especially from NJ - besides, I have a feeling Carl has already been to most of them!) but just throwing this out there as an idea.

Otherwise, we can wait till spring. I'm good with that too!

Dee

edited to say, don't know if they are worth the trip *especially this time of year*!

This post was edited by diggerdee on Thu, Sep 19, 13 at 20:45

Well, Glebe House is right in here in Woodbury, and Bellamy-Ferriday is right up the road in Bethlehem so I can speak to both of those ... neither one would make any sense at this time of year, IMHO. Bellamy-Ferriday, in particular, is famous for its lilacs and antique roses. Best time to see it is May. I haven't been over to Glebe House lately but the garden, aside from being a Gertrude Jekyll design, isn't anything special in my book, and wouldn't be worth a trip in and of itself at any time of the year.

Alright.

See everyone in the spring!

-Tina

Thanks Marty. Oh well, I guess then it's "see you all in the spring!"

:)
Dee

Have a wonderful fall, everyone, (no hurricanes so far) and see you in the spring.

Molie

Hi All!
Sorry I didnt get in on the conversation about the swap-and now its cancelled!:( I have things to give away but usually later on when I dig divide and replant. Things are still looking good for me- compost on the beds last fall and a late application of fertilizer this august seems to be doing the trick.Some of the cone flowers are still going where usually they dry out and look sad by now. I have had to cut back on work this year but will still do the DDR since nobody could make sense of what needs doing but me. I usually throw the discarded plants in chip bags with a little soil if possible. If anyone wants bags of stuff(sometimes mixed-up) let me know. Im in Ridgefield.
I just went down last night to a community garden in Bridgeport Ct. I might try and get some herbs and cut flowers planted down there this fall. Looks like they could use a lot of plants if anyone has stuff to donate, or wants to help me plant etc...GVI in Westport sponsored the garden, The Reservoir Community Farm, info at www.gogvi.org or on facebook. I think they could really use some actidnia vines on the chain link fence surrounding the garden, some fruit trees, blueberries and other berries.Im also starting to coordinate a project at the Ridgefield public/elderly housing with another master gardener which will need a lot of plants. One of the sites is an old mansion converted to housing-can be really beautiful! Looking a little sad right now. Its still in the planning phases but some work going on starting Oct.9th. Ill work on plans this winter so will have a more concrete plant list-any suggestions or donations? Things will have to be low maintenance of course. Some deer issues, but not too bad. People can "adopt a spot" too.
thanks!
Laura