PLANT EXCHANGES
The spring plant exchange is held at Veterans Way Park on a weekday evening in mid-May. The fall exchange is held on a Saturday morning in mid-September to early October. The exact date varies each year. The event is open to all.
Veterans Way Park, 55 Veterans Way, is near downtown and is accessed from Rt. 91 (the traffic light by Starbuck’s) or Milford Rd. (which runs behind ACME Plaza). The pavilion is just off the parking lot adjacent to the children’s playground, making it easy to carry plants to share and take home.
2025 DATES
For 2025, the Plant Exchanges will be held at Veteran’s Way Park Pavilion
MONDAY, MAY 19th, 2025: Check in 6:00 pm and Exchange 7:00 pm.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20th: Check in at 9:00 am and Exchange at 10:00 am.
Everyone is welcome to attend the Plant Exchanges, however, we would like to encourage all to bring plants so that there is something to exchange. You will receive one ticket for each plant you bring. If you are not able to bring plants, you may buy tickets for $1 each. Most plants are purchased for one ticket each, premium plants require additional tickets.
Getting the plants ready: It is less traumatic for the plants if you are able to dig and pot them up and day or two before the exchange takes place. Dig the plants you wish to share, taking care not to damage the roots, and divide into clumps by hand or spade. Pot them up and water regularly until the exchange. If you run out of pots, divisions may be put in baggies, wrapped carefully in newspaper, plastic cups, etc. Please make sure there is enough soil and moisture to protect the roots from drying out and going into shock. If you have plants but for some reason are unable to attend the plant exchange, or are unable to prepare them yourself, please call any of our board members and we will try to help you out.
Identifying the plants: Please label your plants with as much information you are able to provide. For example, name (botanical and/or common), growing conditions, (sun, shade, etc.), height, color, bloom time (spring, summer, fall) and anything else you may find helpful to share. If you know that the plant may be invasive, please provide that information as well. You can download blank plant exchange labels below to use for this purpose.
HGC plant exchange labels
We welcome as many plants as you would like to share, with the exception of any groundcovers (no groundcover will be accepted) or invasive perennials or herbs. Seeds, bulbs, tubers and corms are welcomed, too.
**Please note** No more than two plants per individual of the following will be accepted:
- Herbs: lemon balm, mints, valerian, tansy, oregano, chives and monarda (bee balm)
- Fast spreading perennials, grasses, vines and shrubs: roadside Daylilies, Yarrow, Gooseneck Loosestrife, Black-eyed Susan, Shasta daisies, Obedient plant, Coreopsis, Violets, Ribbon Grass, and Rose of Sharon
We have a sign up sheet at the Plant Exchanges and Garden Club meetings for people interested in obtaining the above-listed plants. If you have extra plants in your garden to share, we invite you to leave your name. It might just be what another member is looking for.
Check-in: Check-in begins one hour before the exchange. It is a good idea to bring a plant flat or box to use to carry plants during the exchange. You will receive tickets for the plants you bring. The tickets are used to pay for the plants you select at the exchange. During the check-in period the plants are organized on the tables in the pavilion.
The Exchange: After the check-in period, the Exchange officially opens. You will walk around in the pavilion and look at the plants offered. Put the plants you want in the basket or flat that you brought as you go along. Don’t dawdle during this time! These great bargains go fast.
Check-out: Bring your selections to the check-out table and pay for them with your tickets. If you don’t have enough tickets, you can use cash for the balance.
The Plant Exchanges have long been a tradition of the Hudson Garden Club. Whether you are a member not, we encourage you to bring divisions of your plants and take home some new ones. It’s a great way to meet other gardeners from our area, too!
