Plant Exchange: A Great Idea

Thanks to Doug Keating for inviting me to the second annual plant exchange at his home on Hillside Avenue. It was exactly the kind of useful and fun gathering that I wish every neighborhood could have. I walked over with some purple oxalis, but others came with truckloads of plants. Above is a big bunch of last year's lunaria, with loads of seeds in their papery pods. When the outer casings are stripped, the "silver dollars" appear. This looked like enough silver dollars to retire the national debt.

The plants up for trading ran the gamut from pachysandra and ivy groundcovers to these eye-catching pots of ribbon grass and heuchera.

The host with the most hostas even dug one up on the spot for one lucky person.

Neighbor Jan Massey prepares to load this handsome specimen into her car.

Jan and friends stopped by my yard later to pick up more plants. I love to propagate plants and had more oxalis, purple coneflowers, impatiens, spider plants and Purple Queen tradescantia to give away. Too much for me to carry on foot! If I don't get another car by next year, you may see me heading for the plant exchange with a wheelbarrow!

Thanks again to Doug for letting me take part.

--Bernice Paglia