For one group of Peachtree City plant lovers, Facebook is a virtual backyard fence where they meet to pass along and swap plants, exchange gardening advice, and share photos of their favorite flora.
Marsha Charles, the administrator of the Peachtree City Plant Swap, started the Facebook group last year after noticing how quickly people snatched free plants posted on other local pages. “It feels good that so many plants and flowers are being shared with others who want them instead of going to waste,” she said.
Marsha’s first pass-along was a spider plant. “She has just started producing babies of her own and it’s so exciting,” she said.
Another group member who enjoys sharing spider plant babies with the group is Athena Frederick. “I love connecting with other plant moms because we are the only ones who understand each other,” she said.
Plant swapper Mary Luap remembers when a kind person swapped a philodendron Micans cutting with her, which she now shares with others. “I absolutely fell in love with its dark, velvety leaves,” she said. She appreciates that the group is an invaluable resource for finding the best local plant stores, swaps, and master gardener sales. She also appreciates that swapping is budget-friendly. “As a young family with a budget and three kids, swapping is a helpful way to build my garden without breaking the bank.”
Half the fun of plant swapping is the hunt. Mary is now looking for deer-proof, shade-loving, pollinator-friendly native plants. Group member Eileen Bradish-Willett enjoys growing minimum-care plants—black-eyed Susan’s, butterfly bush, and iris.
Many Plant Swap members are transplants themselves, unfamiliar with this growing region. “I have learned that you can transplant most of the year here,” Marsha said, “…our climate is so mild we have a more forgiving window than other locations. I have found it interesting to learn which plants do well and which ones just don’t work. I love that we have such a melting pot community. It also helps with the diversity of the plants that people are familiar with.”
