Have you swapped with a forum member?

[mark smyth]

While driving today a thought popped in to my head.

How many people have swapped with another forum member?

No need to name the person or what you swapped

[mark smyth]

I have.

[Maggi Young]

Mark, I  would be surprised if there are folks who have not swapped!!

[hadacekf]

I have!

[annew]

ME TOO 

[tonyg]

More than I can remember!  ..... Anne did you get the narcissus I sent recently?

[art600]

It's what makes the world go round. 

[Lesley Cox]

Me too, and I know all the Aussie members have.

I have a particular attitude to swapping/giving plant material. It is this.

If I am given something by someone else, I return the favour if possible, but sometmimes I have nothing that person wants so the giving is only one way. But then, I can often give to a third person who has nothing I want, so in effect, while the "swapping" isn't necessarily A to B then B to A, if it's A to B, B to C, C to D and so on, the system still works. So many Forum members have been generous to me and I can't always return the favour but if I can pass something along to yet another person, I feel I'm taking a proper part.

I also think that doing a favour is just that (whether swapping, doing a service or whatever) and IS NOT a favour if a return is expected or required. I really hate the "you owe me one" comment we hear so often in TV drama. How can it be a favour if it has to be paid for? I prefer to think of a favour as something given freely and willingly with NO expectation of return or payment.

You probably didn't expect all that Mark, did you?

[mark smyth]

I promised to give someone a couple of Dactylorhiza tubers when I lifted the clump to divide in exchange for a couple of his. In the end I didnt lift the two plants. Because of the rubbish weather I wasnt motivated. This week I had an email demanding the tubers.

[Giles]

Mark,
Loads of people have given me stuff.
It would be nice to name them, but I realise that could cause them embarrassment.
I have been sent seeds and plants of things that are otherwise unobtainable.
Some of them are prominent forum members, others hardly make an appearance on these pages, but offer something all the same.
I think the nicest is when a person has a particular passion for a particular cultivar or species and is determined to 'pass it on'.
They always ask how their 'baby' is doing!

[Lesley Cox]

There should be a clear understanding, and I'm sure there IS, between most of us, that such arrangements are subject to the offering setting seed, or making new growth or the damn thing not dying in the meantime etc. Likewise, that while I hope to send you this very soon, it could be next year, or in two years or as soon as possible. We have to live in hope, after all, or what's the point of living at all?

[ian mcenery]

Many many times

excellent too

[annew]

I agree with the above. I enjoy sharing plants with others, and realise that there are many who don't have as many plants as I do. There often isn't anything a beginner can offer that I haven't already got. When I was starting up, many people gave me plants that I couldn't adequately repay them for, and they didn't expect it. Now I am repaying those debts by passing on the favour.
On this forum, I'm back in the position of often not being able to offer a suitable swap, so am very grateful for those more expert than I who send me things.

[Thomas Huber]

100 % agreement from me, Anne!

In the beginning I was the one who received many, many good plants from forum members without being able to give
comparable plants in return. This helped me to built up my little crocus collection and today I'm trying to be as generous
to newbies with my plants.

[David Shaw]

I am still an overall receiver of plants from generous forum members. This is mainly because I don't have the species or quality to directly return the favours. In return I try to donate as much as possible to more local club sales and raffles etc. and hope that I am starting to reach some sort of balance.