Hosting a Plant Swap Luncheon:
A Plant Swap is a special time for Friends and Neighbors to Gather and Share
We’ve been working hard for several afternoons digging up the perennial beds around our Village Farmhouse—beds that had grown wild and unruly after a few years of neglect. Now is an excellent time for a Plant Swap! What once was a beautiful Cottage Garden had turned into a jungle of daylilies, hostas, and lily of the valley, fighting for space (not to mention the weeds, which are winning!). Now that we’re giving the front garden beds some much-needed curb appeal, it was time to clear things out.
With every clump I lifted, actually my husband did the heavy lifting, I thought the same thing: There will be more plants than I can use, and some will need a new home..
And then it hit me. Why not share them with friends and neighbors at a get-together? How about a Plant Swap Luncheon?
*As a small business we often use links to share products we use but don’t sell. We earn a small commission on any items you purchase but it doesn’t cost you any more. We will always identify these items and be assured these are items we use in our work too!
DID YOU KNOW WE HAVE AN AMAZON STORE AND AN IDEA LIST FOR GARDENERS? We all love garden stuff, right?
A Simple Idea with Purpose: Gather and Share the Love of Gardening and Growing Plants
Instead of trying to create new garden beds for all these plants or trying to rehome them one at a time, I decided to host a Plant Sharing Luncheon. At this casual gathering, neighbors could come by, tell gardening stories, enjoy a light lunch and laughter, and take home a plant or two.
Printable Hosting a Plant Swap Guide
It’s not an actual swap, and there are no rules. Some folks will bring plants, some will bring a dish, and some might just bring themselves. All are welcome, and everyone will go home with at least one plant!
I am so excited about my Plant Swap Luncheon.
These past few years have reminded me how valuable connections are, especially those that happen face-to-face in your neighborhood.
When I’m out working in the yard, people often stop to ask about the flowers or the hostas or which vine is climbing the trellis. More than once, I’ve been asked, “Do you have any extras of that?” And now, the answer is yes. Yes, I do. you are invited to come to my plant swap luncheon!
I may be renovating the garden beds for our Summer Guests, but I can also share what those beds have given back: vigorous, healthy perennials that just need a new patch of dirt to thrive.
What You’ll Find at My Plant Sharing Luncheon
- A folding table full of divided perennials—maybe some hostas, sedum, lamb’s ear, black-eyed Susans, day lilies, and more—each labeled and ready to plant.
- A light lunch—probably my pasta salad, a big pitcher of iced tea, and whatever else shows up.
- A shady spot to sit and chat with friends and neighbors. Rain or Shine
- A place inside in case of rain, gardeners love summer rain!
Want to Host One Too?
You don’t need a big garden or a full guest list to host your own plant-sharing lunch. All you need is a few extra plants, a little food, and a willingness to invite others in.
Let your neighbors know:
“We’re having a plant sharing lunch—bring plants or food, or just stop by and say hello. There’s plenty to go around.”
And there will be. Because gardens—and gatherings—grow best when shared.
Here at Gardenhouse Studio, we live for spring and summer and gardening. As soon as the snow melts, we do our best to spend time outside in the gardens. After all, we have been planning these gardens all winter, and now is the time to see if they will work the way we dreamed them to!
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