Lisa, did you go to the exhibit at the Hirshhorn: Kusuma infinity mirrors? I was lucky to get a ticket from my volunteer Chinese teacher. She stood in line for 2 hours. We had so much fun! but walking from LOC to Hirshhorn and standing in line to see the mirrors from 2 to 5 p.m. made my legs hurt badly, but it is worth it. We were only allowed to see each room with the mirrors only 20-30 seconds! They have that kind of pumpkin too all lit up, thousands of them reflected by the mirrors----only 20 seconds to absorb them----

tantefrancine, we too liked the "Infinity Mirrors" exhibit. It seems Smithsonian is appealing to a younger set of art-goers, tired of studying old Dutch masters. Pushing the envelope of art is always eye-opening.

Tantefrancine, at Boston Museum of Fine Arts there's an installation with an effect similar to Kusama's. Not as glitzy but it echoes the infinity effect of mirrors.

Our Camellia is showing its flowers now. The buds survived the hard freeze we had a few weeks ago.

they are so pretty, Gerris!

Thank you, Sally!

I was so happy to see these blooms, they really pick up the spirits with their color and form.

The shrub had over 50 buds this year and the majority of them got freeze burned and dropped off the plant before opening.

They really are a lovely color! Does yours have a name?

Also wanted to mention that our Mid Atlantic Plant Swap is in Trenton New Jersey, just over the Deleware Memorial Bridge this year , the first Sat in May. Lots of great plants and people. Think about coming so we can put a face with your beautiful blooms.


Date Reminders:
- Registration NOW OPEN at https://garden.org/apps/swap/v...
- Trading Begins Tuesday, April 18, 2017
- Trading Ends Wednesday, May 3, 2017
- In-Person Swap Saturday, May 6, 2017

This swap is being hosted by Jan and Jeff in Pennsville, New Jersey. Directions will be posted the week of the swap.

There are two threads set up for the Mid-Atlantic Gardeners 2017 Spring Plant Swap.

The first thread is to let us know who is attending and what food or beverage item they are bringing for the pot luck lunch.
2017 Spring Plant Swap
The thread "2017 Spring Plant Swap May 6 in S New Jersey" in Mid Atlantic Gardening forum

The second thread is for general chat about the swap. This thread also contains information on how the swap will be conducted.
2017 Spring Plant Swap CHAT
The thread "2017 Spring Plant Swap CHAT" in Mid Atlantic Gardening forum

If you have any questions, please feel free to post them to the chat thread.

If you've never been to an in-person swap, don't be shy! After all, where else can you go and hang out with a bunch of people talking about plants with enthusiasm?

Thanks, Judy. Aside from being Camellia japonica I don't know of a cultivar name.

On the same Camellia shrub there are flowers that are variegated. I love them all.

Wow, gorgeous Camillia's!

Looking to fill garden boxes on deck, which gets morning sun. Begonias? Other suggestions?

There's that amazing Cameliia with the symmetrical petals!

Morning sun, seems great for many things as long as it doesn't get too hot.

Garden boxes on deck stay cool after noon. Last year, all green. This year, looking for color.

A mix of some brightly colored Coleus would be striking, Lisa.

Sally, you can even use some caladium. And if positioned just right, when the sun shines behind the caladium leaf, they light up quite nicely.

I think we're going to go with a mix of caladium, coleus and geraniums in the new tall pots in front. They get enough sun, but mostly shade.

I've kept two Cordyline australis, red/maroon, going over winter again, and put them in my two front pots. They need something low around them. Mixed sun due to moving shadows, and can get hot in late afternoon. Ideas?

I would like to find Zinnia marilandica, (maybe not for the pots but just another place) Jeff said butterflies loved that.

Lisa, I went with streptocarpella for my window boxes last year and really liked them - subtle blue color, but wow the nonstop flowers. I just picked up more yesterday and will use them in my window boxes again this year.

Aspen, isn't Streptocarpella kinda prickly? I had two purple ones in pots on the deck last year. Daily, someone got impaled.

Nice camellias Gerris. I have seen many that were ruined by the frost a few weeks back. I lost most of my Magnolia Stellata blooms this year.

Lisa, no actually the streptocarpella is kind of soft. I should have taken photos of it last year, but didn't. This is a photo I found by googling - in a pot, but can easily visualize what it would be like completely filling my 3' length window boxes...