Knoxville/East Tennessee Plant Swap Sept. 28 (Farragut: sales, how much, new home)

[knoxgarden]

The Fall Plant Swap will be held Sunday afternoon, Sept. 28, at Adminral Farragut Park.
The swapping is followed by a free-form potluck: Bring what you like to eat and drink and be willing to share.
More info, directions, forum, e-mail signup, what to bring, etc.:
Knoxville Plant Swap
This is a great way to meet fellow gardeners, for new homeowners (and you know who you are!) to get lots of plants and as well as advice from master gardeners (several who actually have that title will be there) and to generally have a good time and make friends and eat some good food.
Bring plants to swap, bring food or just bring friendship. That's all you need.
Kids are welcome and there's lots of room for them to run around. Dogs on leashes are welcome. There's a disk golf course there for those who play. The park is on the river for those who fish.
Hope to see you there!

[DubbleT]

Wonderful! This sounds like a lot of fun. I hope to have moved by then so I can make it!

At a lot of the plant sale sales here the sellers have a picture available of what the plant looks like in bloom. Do they do that there, or should I throw one of my plant books in the car in just case? Assuming I make it of course.

[gemkeeper]

Thanks for the reminder, knoxgarden. I can hardly believe that it is that time again already!

I have the plants to swap, but the drive is a problem. Next year, for sure!

I like the idea of the photos, DubbleT. It's nice to try a new plant, but you do want to be sure it is a good choice for your garden. You might be the first to have a photo on hand with your own plant to swap!

[knoxgarden]

This isn't a plant sale. No money is allowed to change hands.
People offering plants will have dug them out of their own gardens and will be able to tell you what it is and how it looks, what it needs and whether it's a good choice for your garden.
There's a lot of discussion and chatting involved. You go from person to person and see what they have to offer and what they want to swap for that you might have.
If you don't have anything to swap, that's OK. Everybody always brings plants to give away. Advice is always available.
Most of the plants offered are mature plants up to and including large trees. I've gotten ferns, perinnials, water garden plants, grasses, begonias and succulents.

[mysticfire0213]

Sounds ilke a lot of fun! I am, sadly, plant illiterate. I have never really had a
yard" as an adult--well, 1, but it was at the edge of the woods and overgrown and I was on strict bedrest most of the time I lived there! Now that I will have a yard and hopefully a beautiful garden, I am trying my best to learn everything I can, but really, I know a whole lot of nothing, lol.
Around this house, even my indoor plants are afraid of me. No matter how much I do (or don't do) whatever the directions say, they still never make it

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by mysticfire0213

Sounds ilke a lot of fun! I am, sadly, plant illiterate. I have never really had a
yard" as an adult--well, 1, but it was at the edge of the woods and overgrown and I was on strict bedrest most of the time I lived there! Now that I will have a yard and hopefully a beautiful garden, I am trying my best to learn everything I can, but really, I know a whole lot of nothing, lol.
Around this house, even my indoor plants are afraid of me. No matter how much I do (or don't do) whatever the directions say, they still never make it

Don't feel bad. I've didn't have my own yard for 46 years and I am completely lost. Add in almost complete shade and grass that refuses to grow and you have a big headache! I don't have any plants to swap and most plants won't grow on my lot.

[Chrisgirl]

So glad to read about this. Thanks for posting! I have been missing my perinnial beds terribly since we came and am anxious to garden again. Finding the soil very different here than in VA. Maybe I can get some pointers when I am there.

[J&Em]

I moved here this year and my garden is tiny with nothing to spare for a swap. I sure hope I have something for next year. Thanks for posting!!

HIK I have been gardening for decades but will be starting all over again, too. Different zones, different clay and different problems I am sure!! I went from a northern part-sun-at-best-garden to a southern hot-sun-all-day garden. I have dug in a tiny area and filled it with half perennials and half annuals, may the best plants win. I sure wish I had a few things for trading beside the stubborn weeds that keep coming back.

For your very shady yard you may want to check in the library for books on "woodland gardening". Lots of magazines now feature articles on it, too. Of course now I don't have an ounce of shade!! Mostly the plants they feature have unusual colored or shaped leaves but some have pretty blossoms as well.

[knoxgarden]

You're welcome to come, even if you don't have anything to swap. The folks are very friendly and generous and always have plants and seeds they're willing to find new homes for without getting anything in return.
And you can get some great information about gardening in Knoxville from people who have been doing it for years.
You can bring a bag of chips or other food for the potluck if you want or just bring friendship, that's all we ask.

[Maclean]

Hiknapster, Have you tried to thin the branches of the trees to let a little more light in?
An old neighbor of mine had a lot of old hard wood trees on her lot and she decided to make an incredible garden out of shade loving plants. It was amazing, would that work for you?