Perennial Exchange

Gardeners love to share! The EHS’s semi-annual Perennial Exchange is a great opportunity to find new homes for your extra plants, exchange them for new ones, and buy locally hardy plants at reasonable prices. You can donate and buy garden tools, too.

This event is held twice a year—each spring just as you are getting started and may have extra plants, and during fall clean-up when you may be dividing perennials or have seeds to share.

Here’s how it works:

For every plant you bring, you get one credit. During the exchange, you can trade your credits for plants that someone else brought. After the exchange portion of the event, remaining plants are sold for very reasonable prices. There are vendor and display tables to browse and the popular Garden Tools table, where EHS members and others can donate gently used unwanted garden equipment to be sold to benefit EHS.

Gallardia

Why participate?

• To get new plants that grow well locally
• To share your excess plants with others
• To meet fellow gardeners
• To have a good time

Prepare before you come.

Guidelines for preparing your plants:

• Please pot healthy plants in individual, sturdy containers (not paper or plastic bags, please). Bulk, bare root stock (such as iris) is permitted but must be identified as to the quantity of tubers, bulbs, or corms, as well as the labeling requirements listed below.
• Plants must be labeled. Please identify plants by botanical name, if known, and common name. It’s very helpful if you can also indicate height, spread, bloom colour, location preference, and bloom time.

Qualifiers

• No guarantee is offered that there will be plant material available of equal value to your plants.
• No credit is given for Chives or Goutweed.
• We do not accept plants designated as noxious or prohibited noxious. Here is a partial list of Noxious and Prohibited Noxious plants in Alberta; for a complete list see the fact sheets at abinvasives.ca:

The Exchange Director, whose decision is final, will resolve any disputes.

Tips for an enjoyable experience:

• Arrive early
• Dress for the weather
• Bring trays, a crate, a bin or a wagon to collect and carry your chosen plants
• Bring cash if you plan to purchase plants or refreshments

Schedule for the day:

10:00 am – 12 noon
Bring your plants to the receiving tables and pick up your credits. Browse vendor tables, chat with fellow gardeners, buy refreshments while you wait.

Plants are separated into categories in the staging area. Note: During this time there is no access to the staging areas, except by designated volunteers.

10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Sales table and vendor tables are open.

12 noon – 12:30 pm
The staging area is opened to exchange participants to select plants to exchange for their credits. It can be a mad scramble of fun and camaraderie!

12:30 pm – 2:00 pm
Staging area is opened to non-exchange participants and remaining plants are sold.

All payment is by cash only. Credits may not be exchanged for vendor products or refreshments.

For further information, to volunteer to help or to arrange for a vendor table: Select Perennial Exchange in the Contact Us form or call Cheryl Lewis at 780-478-2570.