Sunday 11 March 2018

Seed Swap

The local annual seed swap event was held yesterday. This year I had tabletop space to sell surplus plants from my garden. I potted up a good amount of my sturdiest perennial and bi-annuals. Luckily I'd managed to cram all the pots onto the greenhouse floor before the subzero temperatures and snow arrived, so they were in good shape.
Thank goodness I'd thought to print out a few photos of the things that I was selling because people kept asking what the various uniformly green plants would look like in flower! My stand is the one with the green cloth cover.
In spite of miserable weather and a smaller turn-out than last year business was brisk. My pots were priced at £1 each. Everyone loves a bargain! I shared my proceeds with the swap to help with their running costs. It was really heartening to see so many young parents with their children at this event, hopefully introducing them to a life-long interest in growing both flowers and their own organic produce.
I had taken in packets of seeds gathered last autumn, including climbing runner beans, 'Blue Lake' and 'Lazy Housewife', two prolific varieties. I swapped them for the range of vegetable seeds below.
I spent some of my takings on varieties of mangetout, pea and courgette that are new to me. I've bought from this smallholder before and her seeds are always good. She gives very helpful advice. Pick, pick pick the 'Norli' mange tout, she told me, the way the French like to eat them, while the pods are very small. 
I'll do my best!


I also bought a few tubers of potatoes that I've not tried before. I'm always searching for the perfect spud for my soil. So far 'Charlotte' remains hard to beat.
Now I'm itching to be out in the garden, but guess what - it's raining. I've had to stay inside, FaceTime daughter and grandson, eat trifle, drink wine and other wickedness - it is Mothering Sunday after all!
I do hope that you are also being suitably indulged/indulgent!


14 comments:

  1. I thought I was a gardener until I met you, Rosemary. You could make a living doing that. I'd just go into my greenhouse and putter about. Of course, if it weren't cold and windy, I'd be out in the garden too.

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    1. I've no knowledge, Donna, but lots of enthusiasm. Bitter weather here and I can't put anything in the ground just yet.

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  2. What a lovely post today.
    My Mum, in Tucson, could put a stick in the ground and it would grow. I am an OK gardener better with flowers that vegs. In Tucson between the sun and the very hungry critters ... it is very labor intensive.
    Your garden is always so beautiful.

    cheers, parsnip

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    1. My father was just the same, he would stick odd bits in the garden and the results were wonderful. I try to follow his example - nature is very generous!
      In reality my garden is absolutely scruffy. It looks very weather bashed at the moment, but once growth starts in earnest I love the chaos of it all.

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  3. I have thought often of joining a garden club just to be part of a plant/seed swap. We do go to an herb sale in early May and that is such fun and always well attended. I do, though, have many seeds from my last years plants and I will start those next week when the expected snow melts. Spring is almost here and the best is yet to come.

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    1. Our seed swap started in a very small way nine years ago thanks to the efforts of one young woman, Sam. It's now a regular annual event and a great success. Why not start your own? It will grow!

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  4. Oh wow, what a wonderful looking event. I too would enjoy taking part in such an Occassion. It is snowing right now and it seems a very long time until I am able to get some garden time in. I'd be up for indulging in a glass or two of wine! :) kim

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    1. Raw cold here today, no chance to put anything in the garden. Spring?!!* - it's almost mulled wine weather!

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  5. Your table looks great. I find people love the potted perennials so this year my greenhouse is full of them. I should print off photos of them as you did. I am so looking forward to summer.

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    1. It was lovely to meet so many enthusiastic people at the swap and interesting to see which plants first disappeared from my table. Bronze fennel and white lupins were gone in a flash. Some of the stipa tenuissima I didn't sell. I shan't bring grasses next year.
      Summer? I'm still waiting for spring! Everything is still in the greenhouse.

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  6. I've never been to a seed swap, it looks like a lot of fun! I'm itching to be out in the garden too, sigh...patience is a virtue so they say lol!

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    1. I think it's a great event, it encourages the continuity of local and old varieties, is money-saving and an opportunity to meet fellow gardening enthusiasts. What's not to like!

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  7. That looks so much bigger than our seed swap. I too have lots of seeds I need to plant and now they are forecasting colder weather again! Sarah x

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    1. Ours started in a very small way but has now outgrown the original premises. The colder weather has arrived, no gardening for a while yet!

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