Each invitation listed the day and time for the plant swap and asked that friends bring along an apron and gloves.
For the plant swap to work, friends would also need to bring one plant for each of the 8 ladies invited. Since this was my first plant swap, I kept it small, inviting those I knew had spring fever as badly as I did! I then made a list of extras to have on hand...
spare gardening tools, gloves, potting soil, and plant markers.
I'd need some containers for repotting plants, and a quick trip to a local flea market found me coming home with lots of whimsical, yet inexpensive, vintage teacups, berry buckets, enamelware mugs, and galvanized pails.
Next I began jotting down some recipe names and soon settled on the tried & true ones my friends had shared with me over the years. Favorites that came to mind were Hot Chicken Salad, Broccoli Salad, fruit with Chocolate Fondue, Flowerpot Herb Bread, and Texas Sheet Cake. I'd also set out pitchers of ice water as well as bottles of frosty soda.
After lunch we were all eager to swap plants...it was such fun!
As girlfriends do, we talked on and on while choosing and repotting plants. We shared garden hints, how-to's, and laughed about last year's prolific cucumber patch!
All too soon it was over...we were talked out, having enjoyed the beauty of the day. As each friend headed home, I knew they were taking a bit of one another with them. The plants each of us lovingly tucked into our new Friendship Gardens will always be a sweet reminder of our day spent together.
Call your friends & family and host a plant swap of your own...
it's a terrific way to celebrate spring!
It sounds like a fun day indeed Mary. Hope we'll see how things are doing in your Friendship Gardens in a few months!
ReplyDeleteMary -- that sounds like so much fun! I wish I lived closer so that I could participate with you too. We do a "Gourmet Girls" and cook and get recipes.
ReplyDeleteBut I've been enjoying getting out in my garden and getting my hands dirty. Love it!
Melody