Hosting a Neighborhood Exchange
Submitted by Lavender2 on Fri, 03/28/2008 - 15:26
(5 votes)
I've had a great time helping at a local plant exchange. This exchange started very small, with just a few friends. With no advertising, just friends inviting friends... 120-150 gardeners now attend, both Spring and Fall. Everyone is welcome, even new gardeners with no plants to swap.
Plant exchanges vary in style and size, and each one is different... just thought I would share some fun ideas and ways that we keep it organized.
Pot Luck Brunch - (optional $1 donation) helps provide Coffee, Juice, paper products, etc. New gardeners who don't have plants to swap may bring a brunch item to share instead.
Drawings - Rare plants and garden decor items are donated by gardeners who wish, usually 15-20 items.
Plant preview - time is set aside for guests to browse the plants, ask questions, chat with friends, and tour the host's gardens.
Check in table - Name tags, sign in sheet, post cards to self- address to receive info about the next exchange. (Donations cover postage)
Plant exchange
9-10:00 - Arrive and place your plants. Signs are posted so plants are organized by type. Areas: Shade, Sun, Groundcover, Daylily, Hosta, Herbs, Vines, Bulbs, Trees and Shrubs, Seeds, House plants. We now have many signs for specific types of plants with plant info and pictures.
!0-10:30 - Plant preview - A few Master Gardeners are always on hand, as well as many experienced gardeners to answer questions, ID unknown plants, and offer suggestions.
10:30 - Rounds begin! - The organizer explains the rules... Everyone may choose 3 plants (of a different type) per round. "No you can't have all 3 Blue Hostas" she always says! And then she calls out "Round one". When the dust settles and everyone has 3 plants, it's on to "Round two" and so on....
Drawing - The self-addressed post cards are used to draw for winners.
Previous hosts are invited to come the Friday evening before the exchange to help set up. We have a special pre-exchange swap with the 'old timers' to show our appreciation.
Every exchange seems to bring some fun new gardeners to meet, as well as new ideas and plants. The bigger, the more fun! We may have to start holding this one at a park!
Plant exchange
plant exchange
Gonna have to visit...
Connie, I think I'm gonna have to come visit you next year.... exactly when will the plant swap be held? LOL!!!!!!
DizzyD %-}
Seeds for SASBE
Encouraged by....
Instead of saying sponsored by it coud something like "Trader encourgaed by GardenHere" or "Swap encouraged by....
"He who plants a tree, plants hope" Lucy Larcom
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Donating to non profit
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GREAT info!
This is great info - I agree, a GH poster or other things along those lines would be wonderful. I attended an impromptu plant swap last Spring. It was several people who had joined a Yahoo group for local gardeners. We got to talking about how we should all get together for coffee or whatever and even exchange plants that we've been talking about. One lady offered up her yard to do it in and we had a GREAT time. I came home with more than I left with, I think. It was so great to put faces with the names we were seeing in the group.
By the way, I think Dave's Garden is planning something like that - not a plant exchange but a gathering of members or something like that...
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Plant exchange
I wonder
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Great idea, Wes.
Great idea, Wes. This swap is not sponsored by anyone and they are pretty open to any type of promotions gardeners would like to mention. I will be talking about GardenHere at the swap and handing out the web site information. I've only been to one of the swaps since joining GH... and wished I would have had some cards along.
~ Connie ~ Zone 5 ~ MN
great info
Connie, I think I might have to talk Tatyana in holding one with me ...it would be soo much fun !
Thanks for all the great tips !! Sure wish I could make the next swap..sounds like you all are soo organized.
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