10 May 2012

Gardener's Tea

 
Seed Swap
"Bring some seeds.... take some seeds."

Date: Saturday, 19 May 2012
Time: 10am-12noon
Place: In the garden

Bring "extra" seeds you saved from your garden 
(or packets you purchased at the store)
to swap with your neighbors.
Annuals, perennials, vegetables... all are welcome!

If they're your own seeds,
attach a small card describing
when and where to plant them,
how best to care for them,
and where they came from.

Cookies, Lemonade and Tea will be served

  * * *  

For several years I've been inviting my neighbors to walk up (or down) the road to my house for seed swaps in the spring, plant swaps in mid-summer, and bulb swaps in the fall. For every plant, bulb or packet of seeds you bring, you get to take one away. And in mid-winter, we have tea by the fire to talk about what plans we might have for our gardens in the coming season. We've also used this winter get-together to loan one another our favorite gardening books to take home, look over and be inspired.

So many of the plants, bulbs and flowers in my garden are the result of what I like to call gardeners generosity, and I love looking around a neighbor's garden and seeing plants that used to be in my own garden and are now thriving in theirs.

Anyone who has a garden—and who lives near others who enjoy gardening—can host one of these swaps. It's a lovely excuse to get together and a wonderful way to increase the bounty in your garden. (It's also a guilt-free way to thin out plants and seeds you no longer need!)  And if a neighbor you want to include doesn't have a garden?  

Bring a smile... take a smile!


4 comments:

  1. Hi there! How enjoyable a seed swap would be. It seems you live in the perfect community for it. Your garden should be giving you a lot of blooms by now. Happy Mother's Day!

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  2. i wish I lived near you! What a great idea. Unfortunately, my nearest neighbors are not gardeners - they're lovely people, but they don't feel as passionately about gardening as I do. I should investigate joining a garden club.

    xo
    Claudia

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  3. Actually everything is looking very GREEN right now (thanks to all the rain we've had) but there are only some Iris, Lily of the Valley, Dame's Rocket, and a few Violets still blooming. The roses will be "blowing" by month's end, and then comes the Yellow Loosestrife and Evening Primrose. Do you have neighbors near enough that you can have a swap Jacqueline?

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  4. Oh that's a shame, Claudia. It's a great way to increase the variety in your garden, and to swap good advice. Perhaps you could start by inviting your neighbors to an outdoor tea and get them talking about their yards. There might be some who wish they could have more in their gardens but simply don't know where to begin...? It's worth a try! Take care and thanks so much for stopping by.

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