The Perennial Exchange
Welcome to The Perennial Exchange! If you are interested in gardening, you have come to the right place.
Plant Swap
2024 Spring Plant Swap
April 20th
LOCATION: Feldun Purdue Agricultural Center (FPAC)
1117 State Road 458
Bedford, Indiana 47421
(Register by clicking on the button above, by April 15, 2024. There's a $10 fee/attendee to cover our event-related costs. First time attendees are not required to be PE members, but we ask that you register online.
9:00AM – 10:00AM Setup & Continental Breakfast (door prize donations table open)
10:00AM – 10:30AM Plant Swap (usually lasts about 20 minutes) followed by initial clean-up
10:30AM – 10:45AM Short welcome and presentation on the Feldun Purdue Ag Center
10:45AM – 11:15AM Business Meeting with elections of Executive Committee (early door prizes too)
11:15AM – 12:00PM Light brunch with presentation by local expert
12:00PM – 12:30PM Finish door prizes, final clean-up & directions to optional garden visit
1:00PM – 2:00PM Optional visit to Elin Jacob’s garden in nearby Bedford
12:00PM – 12:30PM Finish door prizes, final clean-up & directions to optional garden visit
1:00PM – 2:00PM Optional visit to Elin Jacob’s garden in nearby Bedford
*Set-up is a time to bring in the non-invasive plants or garden items you have brought to swap ordonate. We recommend digging and potting plants or packaging bulbs/tubers/seeds at least one daybefore the swap. Label all plants clearly and keep the area underneath the table for plants that youhave selected during the swap and plan to take home. To make plant labeling easier, current memberscan download and print label sheets in the members area. Also, use those unsolicited address labelsthat charities send to you to stick on your labels and/or pots, so that members can remain in touchbetween our spring and fall swaps.
While setting up, enjoy some continental breakfast, help newcomers identify plants, make new friends,and start looking for plants you may want to choose in the early "rounds" of the swap. At 10:00, we willstart the swap with an officer announcing the first several "rounds" so that everyone can get their firstchoices on items. During the first five or six rounds, please take only one of the same plant so thateveryone can take something they value home for their garden. As those of you who have attendedbefore know, after about 15 minutes, we stop doing the limited rounds and open up for people to takemore than one and for new gardeners to get some of our old favorites.
Door Prizes:
Please bring a gift for the door prize table. It does not have to be fancy or expensive, and we all enjoy the fun of door prize drawings!
New Membership Model:
We have changed from charging an annual membership fee to agreeing on a one-time membership fee of $10.00. That’s right, you will not need to renew again unless this new model does not match our costs of producing digital materials and having a website. There are several ways to pay for membership: the links on this website, at the swap via check or cash, or via USPS mail to: Treasurer, The Perennial Exchange Club, 6925 W. Ison Rd., Bloomington, IN 47403. Please include a note with your contact information if mailing your member payment.
Online Registration and our Website:
To access the member-only capabilities, go to the Member Only link on this page's menu and follow the instructions. If you have previously registered online, you will need to register again as we have moved the site to a new platform. We apologize for the inconvenience. You will receive access to the member area after registering and receiving an access approval email from the web master.
Mark your calendar with our fall swap 2024 date:
Sept. 21, 2024 at the Moose Lodge, 840 S Cory Ln, Bloomington, IN 47403
2023 Spring Plant Swap
April 22, 2023
Center- Jackson Fire Station
12116 E State Rd 54, Bloomfield, IN 4742
(Register by: April 15, 2023)
Planned Program:
9:00 – 10:00 Setup* & Continental Breakfast
10:00 – 10:30 Plant Swap and initial clean-up
10:30 – 11:15 Business Meeting
11:15 – 11:30 Find & ID local native plants (Bernadette de Leon)
11:30 to 12:00 Light lunch & early round(s) of door prizes
12:00 to 12:30 Raising wildflowers from seed (Karen Whorrall)
12:30 – 1:00 FINAL CLEAN UP -- Please Help!
*Set-up will follow the usual plan, shared here for our new members and guests. We recommend digging plants or packaging bulbs/tubers/seeds by the night before the swap. Label all plants clearly and keep the area underneath the table for plants that you have selected during the swap and plan to take home. While setting up, enjoy some continental breakfast and start looking for plants you may want to swap. At 10:00, we will start the swap. Please only take one of the same plant in the first rounds, as others may want that plant.
NOTE: To make plant labeling easier, one full page of this letter can be completed with your contact information.* Feel free share the PDF with others. (*Tips: Fill in the information on a print-out and copy that sheet as many times as needed. Also, use those unsolicited address labels that charities send to you.)
Door Prizes:
Please bring a gift for the door prize table. It does not have to be fancy or expensive, and we all enjoy the fun of door prize drawings!
New Membership Model:
If you have come to two swaps without joining or renewing your membership, we now are asking for a one-time membership fee of $10.00 membership. That’s right, you will not need to renew again unless this new model does not match our costs of producing a digital newsletter and having a website.
You can pay at the swap, or, more conveniently, include the $10 with your registration ($20 total if you are becoming a member) and via mail to Ivy McCammon (6925 W. Ison Rd., Bloomington, IN 47403) by April 15th. You can also pay via this website.
For additional information on the swap, you can access the full newsletter under the member area.
Online Registration and our Website:
To access the member-only capabilities, go to the Member Only link on this page's menu and follow the instructions. If you have not previously registered online, you will fill out a registration form. If you are a paid member under the new lifetime model, disregard the instructions to send in membership dues. You will receive access to the member area after registering and receiving an access approval email from the web master. If you are registering as a new member, you may pay via Paypal or mail in your membership fee as described above.
Plant Swaps
ABOUT US
The Perennial Exchange was formed in 1995 with the goal of exchanging perennial plants with other gardeners.
The club has members throughout Indiana. However, most are located in central/southern Indiana. The club has two plants swaps a year, one in the Spring and one in the Fall. Plants swap activities generally consist of trading plants, sharing with new gardeners, listening to speakers, participating in workshops, and garden tours.
About Us
Benefits
Member Benefits
Save
Members exchange plants to offset the cost of commercial nurseries. Members leave the plant swap with car loads of free plants.
Learn
Plant swaps are educational including insteresting workshops, speakers and tours.
Share
Our members are generous and always willing to give away plants to help new gardeners.
Meet
The club has members with diverse gardening backgrounds, some with little gardening knowledge, some who are master gardeners, and everything in-between. The club is a great forum for sharing gardening ideas.
Conserve
The Perennial Exchange promotes the use of native plants, whenever possible, to preserve natural ecological communities.