VA Eastern Shore Get Together/Plant Swap

Thanks Debbie! I love it! I think I will try that if I can make a little time.

I would love for you to be able to join us Holly! :) Just drop a dmail if you need directions.

It's still 2 months away and I am already so excited, LOL. I picked up a really cool door prize yesterday. I am almost tempted to keep it, may have even gotten one for myself if I could have found another like it.

I've got you marked, but we'd probably do an overnighter. That's about a 3 hour trip one way. We need to find another "sitter" for my Bostons..........LOL

Hope you can make it doccat.... I sooo understand about the drive! I drive back and forth between here and md every week and it is almost exactly 3 hrs.

Thank you Jody. y'all are in my calendar. looking forward to it.

And for goodness sake don't throw out pots - if bellieg doesn't want them, throw them in the trunk and bring them! if no one else takes them, I'll take 'em - I never have enough - iris just keep multiplying!

bonjon, I think I've got more pots than a nusery, LOL!

Steadily hunting a Boston sitter here!! I do so want to come and would be bring DH. He's ma driver and another gardener...LOL I think I may have my favorite niece and her new hubby talked into it, so keep your fingers crossed.

Jody,
I have 8 more days of vacation and as I said last year I will take those pots. thanks again bellie

Keeping my fingers crossed doccat :)

There have been a couple of folks who mentioned the possibility of staying overnight. I'll post the hotel info soon. There are a few within a few miles from the house but I think only one that I would actually recommend staying at ;)

I'm going to the delmarva hosta society meeting today and will probably invite some folks from there.

The meeting at the delmarva hosta soc. was great... and somehow I ended up with the meeting and garden tour for them being here next month! I guess the gardens will really be looking nice (or as nice as I can get them) by the time the swap gets here ;)

I am assuming since I never "put it in writing" that the 7th is still good for everyone? I'll put a blip in the RU forum with that date.

My weekends are almost booked now until August with different events. Only 2 weekends with no plans and one is Debbies open house that I would really like to make it to.

Jody - June 7th is more than fine with me. Making a trip to Accomack 4/19 for freebie trees and shrubs for Arbor Day. It's from 10 - 2 at the Accawmacke Office Park off Rt. 13. Of course, my pin oak just came last week from Forestfarm, and my hawthornes are due end of this week. Who knows when they will get in the ground with this weather? But for free, I'll be there!

I live right down the road outside Franktown. If I'm not pulling my hair out with garden work for a daughter's 7/5 wedding, I'd love to come to the swap. I'll keep up with the thread.

Oohhh Pam! Tell me more... what office, where? Don't think I've heard of one called Accawmacke... (Like I need more trees!LOL) I should be around that weekend if you want to stop by the house. Have you ever been to the nursery towards exmore, Maplewood? I only went once in 06 (last year was not a good gardening year) and want to get back down there.

annie, we're practically neighbors too! :) :) I assume the wedding is in your garden? How nice! Are you doing a "theme" with any specific plants or flowers? Maybe you'll find some plant treasures for the wedding at the swap.

We're doing an outside wedding for my cousin this summer too, fortunately it won't be in my yarden, she lives in ME ;)

Dear Jody,

Accawmacke is a "politically correct" spelling of Accomac (or Accomack, where is that "WHATEVER" button when you need it?) to acknowledge the early Indian inhabitants of the Eastern Shore. It is in the Accomac "Office Park at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Service Center between the Social Services building and the Social Security office" I think it is on the right coming off Rt. 13 across from the Elks, or Moose, or "WHATEVER" that building is. I can't tell you more than that, but then I never have trouble stopping to ask people where stuff is, so I never really worry about knowing where I'm going. Can't stop to visit on this trip, I have to be on Chincoteague by 12:00 that Saturday. I am, however, up to a trip to Maplewood one week-end. Anyone from up north, noneebee in Princess Anne, etc I can make arrangements to meet and I (we) will come pick you up and away we go!!!!! I am pretty flexible, except busy on April 26, May 10 & June 7. Oh and I have to drive to Blacksburg some weekend before the end of June to pick up a Sheltie gentleman who is coming to visit my Bonnie for a while, OBOY PUPPIES!!! Anyway, let me know. Pam

Thanks Pam! I'll send you a dmail :)

do we have a tradetalk thread yet? I didn't see it - wanted to know if there was any particular iris anyone wanted - that way I could make sure to bring it if I have it.

Keeping my eye on this thread because I definitely want to come if possible. I normally make my husband take me down to Thomas' a couple of times a year.

I don't know how much I'll have in the way of plant trades-- I'll have some but not a lot.

I do make great brownies, though!

mmmmm brownies are definately good :) ;)

Brownies definitely count as a vegetable.

I've added the link to the swap thread in the first post to make it easier for everyone to find.

LOL happy! I just KNEW brownies had to be in a "food group"!

kubileya you got my brain on browies!!! I had to go and make some last night, LOL.

I've been digging and potting plants like crazy this past week, they should look good for the swap having more than a month to get snug in their pots. I'll be adding to my list when I get the time.

I "live and breathe" garden this time of year so don't think I am MIA. I'll pop in when I can but from now until May 18 I'll be very busy.

I saw a fun idea... a "gently used garden item" table. If you have any feel free to bring em, I know I've got some "gently used" garden items that could use a new home.

For anyone planning a weekend trip, here is some hotel info:

http://www.comfortinn.com/ires/en-US/html/HotelInfo?hotel=VA145&promo=gglocal

There are campgrounds and such fairly close too.

For those coming in Fri night we can get together at the house for a cook out or some kind of dinner.

Looks like it will be another beautiful day in the yarden today :) I'm sooo sore though! I think I should start exercising in late winter to get ready for spring from now on, LOL.

It is too much work for one person wuth the size of yard. Do you have teenagers from Church or nighbors needing extra $$$. We have hire a teen program ay Church and so i take advantage of it!!! I can not do it !!! LOL!!! Take care!! Bellie

Yes Bellie; I would like (need!) to find me some young kids to help, just too much space and too much to do at the VA yardens. I don't know any around here but will look into it when I can.

I'll be there too. After my first swap in Norfolk last year, I learned not to worry about what I can bring or not. It's turning things away that is hard! I still have seeds I don't know what to do with, lol!

Jody, should we bring a yard chair or two or something to sit on? Definitely bring a camera...Jody's hostas should be in their prime.

Laura

Jody,
Thiis boy had been coming evry Sunday and had done lots for me.I feed him lunch and a snack. I have several kids that call me if I need help and so I do what I love to do during summer and that i play golf 3-4 times a week.

Laura,
Can I hitch a ride? Thank you, Bellie

largosmom is right. Jody, do we have a food thread yet? or are we not doing that? Can we bring lawnchairs? a covered dish? what?

we've got 31 days - I'm getting so excited! I missed out on the Southern Appalachian RU because I'd promised to work an iris show. I'm seeing the photos and wishing I had a clone to send~~tggfisk took up 15 irises for me (instead of her original 6) and brought back more than I can plant in two weeks -

OK Jody - if I wanted to divide these mini-hostas, can I just cut the eyes apart? do I need to treat the cut ends any way? They are fully up and out and are very tightly packed - one still in the PDN pot, and one in the ground - it's not spreading out much, very tightly clumped, its 4 times what it was when I put it in the ground, despite two years of drought.

I have 2 picnic tables and 2 table/chairs patio sets... so if you have a chair and can fit it, please bring it along :) I am expecting a few non dg'ers to show up; from the garden club and maybe some from the delmarva hosta society. Hope no one minds.

bonjon as far as food just bring what you can. You may be traveling further than most so if ya just wanna grab some chips or soda etc no problem. I have never been to a swap yet that there wasn't enough food. I'll start an "official" food thread if ya'll want, but as long as everyone trys to bring something, I don't really care what it is, it will be good. ; ) (especially if bellie brings those eggrolls again! LOL) I've already got plates, silverware, cups, and water covered as well as a few other goodies.

Dividing minis: I would try not to cut them at all, dig them up (or unpot them) and hose off all the soil. See if you can gently tease apart the eyes. You can cut if you need to though. No need to treat the cuts, I just let them "air dry" a bit before replanting. I'm glad they're growing good for you despite the drought!

I'm getting excited too! As soon as this garden tour on the 18th is over I'll have more DG time :)

laura! I'm so glad to see you! I wondered where you were at. How was vacation? Where did ya go? Hope it was wonderful!

I just power washed and 1/2 stained the gazebo (ran out of stain!) Since I can't get my tiki bar down here from MD, I'm turning the gazebo into a tiki bar/table for the summer ;)

Ok, back to work for another hour or so. I'll check in again later.

Speaking of Tiki bars...I was in Key Largo, LOL! Here's the view from the Tiki hut on the concrete beach.

I brought back a few (very few) seedling Lignum Vitae trees to try and grow, but I need a green house, so will probably lose them this winter.

Laura

OK well then, I'll bring something that travels and doesn't need refrigeration.

sounds good on hostas- i've not divided one yet, just dug and replanted elsewhere. But minis shouldnt tax the back.

Will be bringing at least one guest - someone to travel with. Don't know if it will be DD, DH, Mom, Dad or who. will not tax hospitality too much, though. I may learn something about hostasfrom your other guests !! great!!

Beautiful pic laura!

bonjon, the more the merrier :)

I will order the eggrolls but I have to bring them frozen and will cook them there. Do you have a fryer? Please start a pot luck thread Thank you.I might bring something else too depending on time a day before. Sometimes it gets hectic with the golf schedule. Bellie

bellie, I have a fryer and anything else that may be needed, but you don't really have to bring the eggrolls. I know you said you order them or something. I know anything you bring will be scrumptious! :) Ok, I'll start a thread...

ok, here ya go: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/844997/

thnak you!! I think the new thread will be a lot better. Thank you!!! Bellie

Well I finally got the rest of the stain to finish the gazebo. It will be done today. I'll have to take a pic for ya'll after the transformation to Tiki bar, LOL. I even found a "grass" umbrella for the table :)

cant wait to see the Tiki Gazebo. Think with all the work you are doing, I'm going to bring you a nice special surprise.

Jody, y'all may just be in the high rent district, or maybe it's high season, but is there anything cheaper hotel-wise nearby? We may just stay somewhere along the way since we'll be leaving late. the hotel you listed started at $130/night on June 6th. A bit too much for me and crew - this crew isn't much on camping unless it's got a cabin.

Days inn usually start at $84.00 and are not bad with continental breakfast. Bellie

bonjon there are lots of hotels around here, but I have never stayed at any of them... so I can't say what they will be like on the inside. The one I posted is the closest one to me.

Here are a few others:
http://www.bestvalueinn.com/bestv.cfm?idp=495 Just a couple miles up the road.

This town is Exmore, it's about 20 min south of my house:
http://www.bestwesternvirginia.com/hotels/best-western-eastern-shore/

B&B: http://www.colonialmanorinn.com/

A general search: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=hotels+accomac%2C+va

A lot of them will be booked/booking soon for June. This is "sport fishing country". Lots of little hotels that don't have websites.

Bellie or others may know of some just south of the bridge/tunnel which would be an hour south of me. I don't get out much so dunno ;)

I've got a couch... no spare rooms until the new house is finished though.

There are many motels along route 13, and also plenty in Virginia Beach which is 1 hour away. Bellie