Spring Plant Swap, Ric & Holly's

Me, too

Oh I just loved Aspenhill. Terry has a truly lovely home and gardens. It was such a pleasure to visit her home. You are right I have been working in the gardens and really loving it. It is just so nice to be out there. Even with all the work we are doing there is a ton of things that I know we won't get too.

Holly, my neighbor friend Cheryl will be joining us, so add her to the list. This is going to be one major parteeeeee!

seems that way!!

Great!

It looks like I won't be in until close to 1:30 or so. See you tomorrow!

We will still be here and still eating. Looking forward to seeing you.

Now, I KNOW that this is way early, but will there be a Fall Swap? I am asking now as I am a Living Historian for the War Between the States, and as a Civilian, in high demand for the next years...Sesquicentennial (don't ask me to type that again) and all, and I'd really like to reserve that day...

I will likely be offering, unless there's another War between the States before fall...I don't have a date in mind--.mid September.?

Oh, thank you! I am engaged in The War on September 15-16 (Antietam), but otherwise, as of this second, things are pretty clear!

Yippee!!

Gracye- At one stage, I was interested in handmade historic clothing, Do you wear (or other re enactors) clothing handsewn to be more authentic? Better question- can I make any money at that? Even pocket change? har har pun INTENDED

Sounds interesting!

I also want to put it out there for a spring swap at my place. If I commit then I will do it. May 18, 2013. The Saturday after Mother's Day.

Location: Pennsville, NJ

30 miles south of Philly
About an hour from Baltimore
103 miles from Dover, PA

Hopefully this will open up another area for DGers. I do realize it will be too far for some of you and will miss seeing you, but know that we WILL meet again.

sallyg - I quickly switched from beginning attire to authentic or period-correct. From what I've found, you will sew out of a great labor of love, and pride as an artist. Correct sewing techniques of "the day" take intense study, materials are rarer than hen's teeth. So, the quick answer is NO you will NOT make money. Best if you live in Gettysburg area so you can bop on over to the little sewing shop that carries a large amount of period-correct sewing materials (including ability to order the right lace).

But you will make a name for yourself, and your creations, if correct down to the stitch, type of thread (and was it ironed and coated with real beeswax and made of 100% silk?), and length of stitch, you will have more work than you can handle.
Problem with most seamstresses is in getting a bunch of money, spending it, then having to deliver the product. Oh, and dealing with we "Pieces of Fluff" women...LOL!

Thanks Jan23. This gives me another date for my GREEN passion!

SallyG and Jan -- I'm excited to have swaps to think about!

Thanks Gracye! If I ever end up living near Gettysburg or another place with the resources, I would consider looking into it. Or visit Gettysburg and see that shop for fun.

I would love to see your place Jan.
I am already looking at plants and thinking about what I can divide for a Fall Swap and I am going to try rooting Chrysanthemums. I need to cut them back, I just can't believe that they are blooming.

September sounds great Sally!!! Jan - would be great to be up that-a-way again. I grew up in PA and my Aunt Uncle and cousins lived in NJ

Sounds good, Sally and Jan

Where in Jersey, Chantell?

swedesboro - we used to take the car ferry over...course that was in the 70's. Yikes - did I admit that? LOL

So funny Chantell, I lived in Trenton for about 4 1/2 years after I got out of the service in the early 70's.
I went to Trenton junior college, now Mercer Co. Comm. College majoring in horticulture and biology. At that time our only goal was to go to DelVal and get a job at Longwood for bread and water. I so wanted to pull weeds for the DuPonts, Even though my grandmom instilled a love of gardening the teachings of Dr. Ellen and Doc. Donahue are still with me.
As you cross the bridge to Trenton you see the sign, Trenton Makes the World Takes, what is underwater is What the World Refuses, Trenton Uses.
Why are New Yorkers so depressed? The light at the end of the tunnel is New Jersey!
Ric

oh Ric... you bad boy!!

I'm trying to resist touting Jersey Girls, but it's reeaaally hard!!

I live about 10 miles from Swedesboro.

Wouldn't it be awesome to work at Longwood? Or Winterthur?

Or Mt Cuba? Love all three of those places - wish they were closer so I could go every couple of weeks to see the season progress. Ultimate dream would be to work somewhere like that instead of sitting at a desk in the basement of a government building....

Indeed. Haven't been to Mt. Cuba yet, but on my bucket list.

MT. Cuba, Wow we were just there last Thursday with our Hobby Greenhouse group bus trip. I was truly impressed. Since we are a greenhouse group they gave us a tour of the the entire growing area before the regular tour. One of the greenhouses was air conditioned to grow cool loving plants, only with the duPonts.
I can't fathom planting an entire woodland from scratch let alone maintaining it in such a natural looking state. I'll never complain about Holly's water features after seeing Ms. Copelands. LOL To think she just wanted a little stream, OMG.Ric

The entire place was just lovely. I could have spent the entire day there and definitely want to go back for the azaleas, maybe next year? The solarium in the mansion was something to behold also. Ric

This message was edited Jun 4, 2012 8:47 AM

Those evil 1%ers...lol, just kidding. So gorgeous

After a nice lunch at a family restaurant in Hockessin we went to James Buchanan's home in Lancaster, Wheatland for a tour there before coming home. That was surprisingly informative and well conducted, albeit less a thrill than Mt. Cuba. LOL Ric

Sally, at least these 1%ers let us peek in. ROTFL Ric

This message was edited Jun 4, 2012 9:02 AM

These fabulous gardens and estates- are kind of a national treasure.

Lovely!

Yes, they are.

I don't need the mansion... just the solarium.... with an attached greenhouse or two!

I love how Holly & Ric's very successful swap party has people lining up to host the next events! I think it was RosesRRed at the end of the swap gathering who said she'd like to do a spring swap at her place as possibly a 2-day round-up type event, giving more time for visiting and, who knows, maybe some workshops or field trips in addition to the plant swapping. And Jan is interested in hosting next spring also, and she lives a couple hours closer to the NJ folks.

One event doesn't preclude another... we're spread out enough that, as has been noted, everybody is not going to be able to make it to every swap. If both these ladies host, I'll probably do my best to get to both events... locations are 2 1/2 hours and 3 1/2 hours away for me.

We just need more parties, more often! Who is hosting a July BBQ? (I would donate a prize for the best red white & blue lawn ornament, definition of "best" to be determined... most partiotic? tackiest? twirliest?

I'd like to try putting together a couple of workshops this summer for things I've been thinking about but haven't quite tackled on my own... hypertuffa troughs/planters, toad houses, stepping stones, concrete leaves or other objects made from QuickWall (available at the Frederick Lowe's; I checked last week). I'm stocked up on gloves & masks, and I had a bale of peat moss and a big bag of perlite, so all we'd need would be whatever type of concrete our project required.

Jill -- that would be so much fun!

I've wanted to try making the hypertufa planters. We have an abundance of family fun plant nurseries here. One of them is now having a hypertufa seminar. These nurseries provide all kinds of lessons. Last year I went to a "pruning" seminar where the owner spent a great deal of time, with his very expensive power driven clippers, choosing where to make the next cut. Jessica mentioned that my shrubs and bushes always looked very nice and controlled. I told her that I hit them with a large hedge cutter and small chain saw when necessary! I am definitely slowing down and could never manage taking lots of time pruning so many bushes twice each summer.

Jill, I would love to come to a seminar on hypertufa, planters, concrete leaves or such. I have been trying to make leaves for several years now but never seem to get around to it. You will have to decide what would transport easiest.

Wouldn't that be so much fun? However I'm afraid I will have to miss the July BBQ since we will be driving our granddaughter back to Oregon. LOL

I see many things that I think to myself that I could make, but never seem to try or make the time to try. Lots of good intentions.