UPDATE!! Sydenham Plant Exchange - Who’s In? #gardening

[colinebeaulieu]

GARDENERS! We are looking to organize a plant swap in Sydenham. The idea is simple: on a given day, green-fingered enthusiasts will be invited to bring along seeds / cuttings / plants or edibles they would like to share. These will be presented together; anyone who brings something to the table will be able pick something else.

The gardens in the neighbourhood look amazing: there’s clearly a great pool of local gardening talent here. SPE could be a fantastic opportunity for gardeners in the area (and beyond) to get know each other while exchanging plants, tips and ideas.

We are looking to launch SPE with a “harvest-focus” event in September at a date and venue TBC. However the project only makes sense if residents feel that this is something which could be of interest - and gardeners come along with green goodies.

Do you have seedlings / cuttings or any garden products you would be ready to share? (It doesn’t have to be many). Would you be interested in coming along to a plant swap? Perhaps even in giving us a hand setting it up? If so please drop us an email at sydplantexchange@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you.

Coline & Alex

About Us

Coline Milliard (Beaulieu Avenue)
I caught the gardening bug as soon as we moved to Beaulieu Avenue. My enthusiasm compensated (somewhat) for my utter lack of knowledge and experience. Four years in, it’s still very early days, but I’m more passionate and keener to learn than ever.

Some of the plants I grow: roses, mini-kiwis, cucamelons, purple haze carrots, raspberries.

Alex Gray (Hyndewood, Dacres Rd)
Similarly it was the novelty of having a garden (and then a small allotment) after having moved to the area from Central London that got me really into the whole growing/eating thing.
I am a keen cook so the chance to cultivate and experiment with vegetables not usually found in the UK has piqued my interest in gardening.

Some of the plants I grow: salsify, summer squash, chard, french beans.

[Hissing Syd]

This is a BRILLIANT idea, please make it happen. It could be the answer to a problem I've been vexed with. When I first moved here, because of the size of my garden I aimed to plant things that would give a sense of height, ie go up, not out. One of these was red hot pokers, which I liked as they are so dramatic, but being relatively inexperienced I had no idea how much they could take over.

Recently I've concluded that I need to get rid of the RHPs, regrettably, and had been wondering what to do, whether I could offer them to someone. This exchange idea would solve that, and it just sounds like A Very Nice Thing, so if it comes off, I shall be first in line, brandishing my pokers!

[Timbo79]

Sounds great. We're just novices really, only had a garden since september but we've had great fun planting stuff and learning as we go so if we can cultivate and contribute we'd be delighted to

[colinebeaulieu]

Hello!

So glad you like the sound of it. Excellent all round. Please do spread the word, Alex and I will work towards solving the practicalities.

Stay tuned!

Coline

[Tim Lund]

Alex has approached me about this already, and I'm definitely in, and I'm going to see if the Field Study Centre and yard at Daces Wood could be used.

I've already done a great trade with Iris at Grow Mayow this year, getting a tray of pelargoniums for some of my spare seedlings. Most years I have grapevine and gooseberry cuttings to go, as well as surplus seedlings in spring, such as, this year, squashes, gherkins, cucumbers and winter savory - a personal favourite.

Oh, this year, I've also got gladioli flowering from second year corms, by which I mean at the end of 2015 they were just cormlets next to a main corm, and which last year I just grew on, without any flower appearing, and now this year I am getting flowers.

[colinebeaulieu]

We have a date!! The first plant swap will be held on September 23 at the Dacres Wood Nature Reserve.

I'm copying the blurb below.

In other news, we now have a website: http://www.sydenhamplantexchange.online, where you can subscribe to the SPE mailing list (only very unfrequent emails ... promise)

See you on the 23!

Sydenham Plant Exchange - Launch Event

We are delighted to announce that the inaugural iteration of SPE’s plant swap will take place on 23 September 2017 at Dacres Wood Nature Reserve.

Please bring with you any green goodies - cuttings, seeds, plants, edible produce - that you are keen to share, and come and meet fellow local gardeners.

We’ll be there from 1 to 4pm and look forward to meeting you.

Coline & Alex

Address: Dacres Wood Nature Reserve
Honeyfield Mews
Forest Hill
London SE23 2NH

Time:
1-4pm

Note: To avoid confusion please make sure your plants are labelled with the species, as well as your name and email.

WITH THANKS TO THE FRIENDS OF DACRES WOOD

[colinebeaulieu]

Hi All,

Really hope to see you on Saturday at SPE's first plant swap at the Dacres Wood Nature Reserve.

We'll be there from 1-4. Looking forward to meeting you there.

C&A