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Am I the only one here who stops to visit strangers with nice gardens? I don't even just do it when they're outside. I walk up and knock on doors. I've done it since I was a teenager. Everyone is always flattered and thrilled to walk their garden with me. I've made very dear friends throughout the years. There's just something about gardeners. I never ask to dig anything up. I'll get the name of a plant and go find it at a nursery. Many of us swap divisions in the fall. A few of us have become very close and have each other's families over for dinners.
Once when I lived in Tulsa and was single I drove every day by a house with a beautiful yard. I had no idea what was in it and knew noting about gardening but it made my commute very enjoyable. Finally I wrote a letter to Occupant at that address and told them how lovely their yard was and how I'm sure so many commuters looked forward to seeing it every day just like I did. I didn't even sign my name but I did put my name and address for return info. Soon after that I got Occupant letter back giving me their phone number and name and asking me to come take a walk through the garden. I did and they turned out to be such wonderful gentle and generous people. If I had a yard then they would have gladly shared but I was a condo dweller then. They had me over for supper from time to time and tried to hook me up with a relative but it didn't work out. We exchanged Christmas cards for about 6 years after that until I moved far away.
I had to take most of my gardening to my backyard in my Atlanta garden because so many folks wanted to stop and chat and I just had so many hours in the day to get my work done. I did enjoy talking with my neighbors when they were our walking but when cars would stop by with 3 or 4 people I tried to be kind and told them to just wander around while I finish up my tasks. Once my garden was in Southern Living and that brought way too many visitors. I was flattered but again I simply could not take time to visit with everybody who came by. I always invited them to walk on their own (I kept most plants labeled). We had 3 koi ponds which were a novelty and children especially liked to see the pretty fish. While I dug up a great deal of my garden to move to N.C., sadly I had to leave my koi, some of whom were 20 years old. I cried buckets to leave them especially since I knew the new owners probably wouldn't take care of them like we did.
and I met some interesting people. First we put in the ad where we were, pictures and info about the plants available (links), we needed their telephone number so we could call, etc.
We had 37 inquiries in two days.
More than half failed to leave a phone number .( DH said "if they can't follow directions, they don't deserve free plants").
4 asked where we were- hello-we put our towns name- Did you expect us to list our address in a Craigslist ad?
3 made appointments and failed to show and never called. This was especially sad as I made appointments every half hour for one afternoon so somebody missed out because of the inconsideration of others.
3 people came to dig and as they were touring my garden pointed to other plants and said "Hey can I dig up some of that?" I couldn't believe it!
1 person asked if I could just pot some plants up for them and leave them at the curb.labeled of course.
Wow-just wow!
2 wanted to visit and talk gardening and I think I made new friends. Yay!
1 older lady told me over the phone I should never try to sell anything on Craigslist "cause somebody will try to rob you". I told her I was giving it away and I wasn't afraid somebody would dig up my yard under cover of darkness."Still you should be careful cause people will know where you live and will come back to rob you." Duh people know somebody lives here already...
I'm expecting more folks today.
I have crocosmia "Lucifer" - it has to be divided almost every year to bloom nicely.
Japanese iris and money wort and 5ft tall yellow canna lilies. They reproduce like crazy and I have to give a bunch away every year.
BTW I'm telling people to bring their own shovel and newspapers or buckets as I want them to knock off as much soil as possible . I don't want holes in my garden.
2 said they wouldn't get around to planting them for awhile and did I have some potting soil and pots they could use. Unreal what people expect for something given to them absolutely free.
Amazing how brazen people can be, and kind of sad. I'm sorry not more have turned out to be the gems you anticipated. My current garden is still in the 'being built' stages but I have been dividing every spring to contribute to a fund raising plant sale and every fall I give to some of my neighbors, especially if they have admired something. This past spring there was enough for the fundraiser and the neighbors which made it fun. In return I got a beautiful Cana indica, a yellow Calla lily and a Helebore. I have not gotten to the desperation point of needing CL.
I wish we were a little closer or I'd drop by for some plants and share a few of mine (can you pot up that Yellow Canna? ). Of course I'd have to use the whole trip as an excuse to travel a bit further to see Plant Delights, too.
Once when I lived in Tulsa and was single I drove every day by a house with a beautiful yard. I had no idea what was in it and knew noting about gardening but it made my commute very enjoyable. Finally I wrote a letter to Occupant at that address and told them how lovely their yard was and how I'm sure so many commuters looked forward to seeing it every day just like I did. I didn't even sign my name but I did put my name and address for return info. Soon after that I got Occupant letter back giving me their phone number and name and asking me to come take a walk through the garden. I did and they turned out to be such wonderful gentle and generous people. If I had a yard then they would have gladly shared but I was a condo dweller then. They had me over for supper from time to time and tried to hook me up with a relative but it didn't work out. We exchanged Christmas cards for about 6 years after that until I moved far away.
I admire you for able to reach out to strangers and offer your admiration. Most of us are just too reluctant to take that first step and missed many potential friendships like the one you shared.
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Duh people know somebody lives here already...
). Of course I'd have to use the whole trip as an excuse to travel a bit further to see Plant Delights, too. 
Moving Sale
