This is a community site where users can talk about gardening, advertise and find plant swaps.
Keyword: Plant exchanges and donations
Seed exchange programs
Do you know of any plant and seed-sharing sites where I might find some peonies, for example? Or where I might post some stuff I have no place for?
Most reliable seed exchange programs require membership, but . . .
PEONIES:
If you are interested specifically in peony seeds, the American Peony Society and the Canadian Peony Society are excellent sources.
You might also consider contacting the Pacific Northwest Peony Society. They are fairly new (est. 1996) and might not have a seed exchange yet, but can be helpful with other information.
DONATING PLANTS:
There are several places locally that list plants for donation.
Plant Amnesty has an Adopt-a-Plant program.
Also, try the Pacific Northwest Garden Exchange at Houzz.
SEED LIBRARIES:
This is a relatively recent phenomenon and many cities now have such programs. Here are some examples:
King County Seed Lending Library
Northeast Seattle Seed Library
SOCIAL MEDIA:
There are groups on Facebook devoted to plant and seed exchanges. Be aware that not all of them are cautious about excluding aggressive or invasive species.
roses to offer
I have several immature rose bushes, including some native Washington roses, that must be removed from my property. Are there any organizations, or individuals, who would be interested in transplanting them to another site?
You might want to check out the Seattle Rose Society website, which has lots of good information about roses.
You could also post your information about the roses, or reply to those seeking rose bushes, on the Pacific Northwest Garden Exchange on Houzz.
Another place that might have an interest in helping to find a new home for your roses is the adopt-a-plant list on the website of Plant Amnesty.
plant exchanges
How can I find out about plant exchanges? I also have some plants I want to donate.
There are several places you can go for this information.
Houzz (formerly Garden Web) has a page with Pacific Northwest plant exchange information.
There is a Native Plant Salvage Foundation based in Thurston County through which you might be able to make some contacts or find homes for plants you want to donate. You could also explore the Washington Native Plant Society’s page on native plant sources.
Plant Amnesty has an Adopt-A-Plant program.
Community centers, places of worship, and public schools also appreciate plant donations; contact some in your area and see if they want what you have. People also post plants to share on Craigslist.org and Freecycle.org, or on their local “Buy Nothing” group on Facebook.
The Seattle Times published this article about plant swaps and exchanges.
Finally, various plant societies/gardening organizations have plant exchanges. Here is a link to information about such organizations:
Miller Library’s Organizations List
recycling or putting plants up for adoption
Do you know of a website or referral service for “recycling” plants? I have about 10 feet of barberry (Berberis) bushes that I want to get rid of and thought if they could be dug up with enough of the roots, someone could use them. They are quite ornamental, birds love them, and the thorns are quite lethal (for me, not the birds).
You can contact Plant Amnesty’s Adopt-a-Plant program.
You can also try GardenWeb’s Pacific Northwest Garden Exchange, or freecycle. You might also see if there is a “Buy Nothing” group in your area which you can join.