Dave and the Plant Swap

From In the Garden

Plant swaps on a grand scale are always fun. Not only do you get to meet other gardeners but you get some interesting plants too. Plant swaps on the state level-okay-middle of the state level are even more fun when a fellow blogger invites you not only to the plant swap but to his home. Do you all know who I am talking about?

From In the Garden

Sure you do, there he is in the above picture in the white shirt making a plant swap deal at the Middle Tennessee Plant Swap. Do you recognize him? It is our very own Dave from Growing the Home Garden. This plant swap was held in Henry Horton State Park in Colombia Tennessee on May 22, 2010. I had a great time at the swap. All the members were very nice and it did not take me or my gardening friend Naomi to get the hang of the swap. We both came home with many nice plants and had a ball. But the real highlight of the day was visiting with Dave and his family not only at the plant swap but at his home. Naomi and I both agree we could've left all the plants behind and would've been satisfied visiting with Dave and his family in his lovely garden. Now that is saying something!

From In the Garden

Here we are in Dave's very own home garden. You know I don't think Dave gets his picture on his blog enough so I thought I'd highlight him here on my blog. I tell you I was a bit shocked at how many folks at the plant swap knew Dave. I was pretty honored to know Dave too. The people who participated in the plant swap were mainly Garden Web forum members and they all knew each other by their screen names. This forum is actually the reason the plant swap came about. Not only did they know Dave from the forum but also from his participation in the plant swap for a number of years and there were many members of his gardening club there as well. While I was talking with Dave another person overheard my name and asked me if I was Tina of In the Garden. I said yes and then she introduced herself to me. I so wish I had gotten a picture of Jennifer from Confessions of a Serial Tiller; another Tennessee Garden blogger. Go visit her cool blog when you have a chance. She and I talked for a bit and she told me how she had been able to visit Phillip's garden of Dirt Therapy not too long ago during his open garden days. Lucky girl! But I was pretty lucky too because I was heading to Dave's. Let's look at his garden now.

From In the Garden

Dave's blog was the first garden blog I found when I began blogging a few years ago (coming up on three years). I blogged through an FTP site and never even knew there were such things as garden blogs. Duh me. When I found his garden blog I read through every single old post of his and found our style of blogging seemed to be similar. I marveled at his designs and innovative ideas and enjoyed following along as he worked on his garden. You see, I guess the year I found his blog was the year he and his wife purchased their home. To say his garden was brand new was a very true statement-at the time.

I've followed along with Dave on his progress in his Home Garden all these months and years (I am betting over one thousand posts!) and really thought I had an idea of how his garden looked. But I was wrong. Sometimes blogs truly show a garden how it is and sometimes not. This was one of the cases and I think the fault was totally all mine. I had expected a not so mature garden but was pleasantly surprised to find a mature garden with tons of color, beautiful lawn grass, trees and shrubs planted, a large well kept vegetable area and lots of plans still in the making! Wow! Naomi and I were both impressed by all you've done in the three years you've lived there Dave. You should be most proud!

I particularly enjoyed the layout and how the garden flowed. There were many small vignettes that worked well together (think a ring of mums surrounding a planting of irises) and there was also a start of a great backbone to the garden. The trees and shrubs are growing well. I finally saw the little Corner Garden in person, visited the famous shed and enjoyed the arbor immensely. Walking through the arbor was especially pleasing because the walkway was bordered on one side by a beautiful mixed border and on the other side by the house and more plantings. The area was large and comfortable to meander along the path. The arbor is really quite big and maybe it is me again?? that could not fully grasp the scale of the arbor from the pictures Dave posted. Is it like that for other bloggers? Are the gardens you visit of fellow bloggers different from how you envision them from the blogs? I have visited five other bloggers' gardens including Dave's. I personally found two of the five to be reflected perfectly in the blogs, only three were totally different than I had anticipated. I think perhaps we get a picture of a garden in our mind and build around the pictures the bloggers' post? Sometimes we hit it just right, sometimes not? I was just wondering if other bloggers who have visited fellow bloggers gardens are finding the same to be true?

From In the Garden

Here is a long shot looking toward Dave's garden shed/greenhouse. It was so cute! I liked it the yellow but both Jenny and Dave assure me it will be painted soon. A color has yet to be chosen.

Thanks Dave and Jenny for having us over to The Home Garden! This post would not be complete without me thanking my gardening friend and neighbor Naomi for traveling with me. She is an ardent gardener and I have had the pleasure of touring her garden as well. Here is a link to tour her garden if you desire. If you are a plant swapper and received one of her lovely St. John's Worts at the plant swap you may wish to check out this post because I posted a picture of it last year. Without Naomi's help on the plant swap and her expert navigation service and us talking all the way home and there I am sure the two hour trip each way would have been much less enjoyable.

in the garden....

P.S. I don't always post on blogger visits or when I visit others. Dave and I have met a few times before; some I posted and some I have not. I know it is exciting to have visitors come to your garden and wanted to share this visit with you readers. Also, I have another very special visit to post about as well. I am saving it for a special day. It is for my special group of commenters....

in the garden....


Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team,

In the Garden