Time to Find Out Where your Local Plant Swap Events are!

nachtvlinders

Here in Nottingham, we've had about 4 swaps so far by different groups and the next on is a biggie by the Nott'm Organic Gardeners' Group. It's always a scram to this one as there's loads of plants of all kinds (mainly veg and flowers) and it brings a lot of interest. If you want to save money on going to exhorbitant garden centres and the like, check out your local one. If you don't have anything to swap, you can make a donation. The bigger the geographic area, the more likely you'd find one happening. I gave away over the weekend to two groups, lots of self-seed borage, comfrey Bocking 14 and lettuce. 

Does anyone here go to one? 

Misslayed

Fabulous idea! I could supply half the town with grape hyacinths!

How would you go about finding one if you're not in a gardeners group?

KajiKita

I noticed that our local one is advertised in our local newsletter. But FB might be a good place or other community pages?

KK

RAS

Ours is "Association" members only. But we have a plant library in the park all year.

twopenny

Three charity stalls here, one is huge.
People donate plants, some are grown specially.
My lovely gardening neighbour died recently and I'm going to pot up the huge amount of primrose and anenome blandas that are self sown in her gravel as well as mistakes and extras from my own garden.

Lots of tables outside cottages in the villages and the gardening club have 2 sales this month.

End May is open garden season and more plant stalls.

As you can guess I have to walk around with my eyes closed!

nachtvlinders

They tend to advertise themselves on FB either from their local gardening group or from community groups. Seems that they don't let you know until the day before so that doesn't give much notice to others who may have already made plans on those days when they're on. 

I tend not to go to the National Open Gardens anymore having made so much effort over the earlier years in finding boring gardens. (I don't drive so have to travel a long way using buses). The way they are advertised in the Yellow Book makes you think the garden is splendid with fantastic plantings, combinations etc., but you turn up and a lot of what you see is disapointing bedding plants everywhere or just normal common everyday plants with lawns, and lots of garden paraphenalia. Not really my cuppa tea. The owner's plant stalls can be a good way to find cheap plants, though. 

twopenny

Nach, these are local villages that open their gardens.
So small and personal and you chat to the owner for information. The smaller the more interesting imo.
I too avoid the big ones. My favourites were the tiny one on a sheer slope and the recyclers delight (very MSE) that many didn't like.
Will post some photos later if I can. 

nachtvlinders

twopenny said:

Nach, these are local villages that open their gardens.
So small and personal and you chat to the owner for information. The smaller the more interesting imo.
I too avoid the big ones. My favourites were the tiny one on a sheer slope and the recyclers delight (very MSE) that many didn't like.
Will post some photos later if I can. 

I went to my first one in Feb. for a galanthophile's garden; it was okay, not overly enamoured by the many, many snowdrops. Chatted to the owner there and another visitor, so it was nice to share useful tips and knowledge. 

I went to the Nottingham Wollaton Park Walled Garden a few weeks' back and they were having two trips to a NGS gardens which they offer to non-members any spare seats on the minibus (they're from the Nottingham Hardy Plant Society which I was a member once, but I only paid for two years). So, I'm hoping I can join them later in the season. 

nachtvlinders

nachtvlinders said:

Here in Nottingham, we've had about 4 swaps so far by different groups and the next on is a biggie by the Nott'm Organic Gardeners' Group. It's always a scram to this one as there's loads of plants of all kinds (mainly veg and flowers) and it brings a lot of interest. If you want to save money on going to exhorbitant garden centres and the like, check out your local one. If you don't have anything to swap, you can make a donation. The bigger the geographic area, the more likely you'd find one happening. I gave away over the weekend to two groups, lots of self-seed borage, comfrey Bocking 14 and lettuce. 

Does anyone here go to one? 

Went to the plant swap last week and gave away a big tray of self-seeded borage. For the price of a £2 entry fee, I bagged 9 plants - 

1. Fennel
2. Bay
3. Tomato - Black Russian
4. Tomato - Black Russian
5. Tomato - can't remember
6. Tomato - Sungold (was hoping to find this)
7. Tomato - Sungold (another bonus!) 

1 x packet of garlic chives 
9 x RHS The Garden magazines. 

Glad I went. Although, the Black Russian tomatoes turned out to be beefsteak ones that weren't cherry ones that I'd asked for! Looks like I'll be giving them away to someone else! 

So, folks - it's good to know that there are opps out there to gain some new plants, seeds etc. as well as chatting to like-minded gardeners too.