A strange swap request [General]

2009 Jun 18
Mmmmk, so I've found jars, which was my last swap request. This one is slightly more strange and not entirely food related.

I'm wondering if there's anyone out in the west end that would be kind enough to swap flowers and greenery from their garden in exchange for some baking, cooking or garden food (as opposed to flora).

I'm getting married in August, as many of you know, and we're trying to do much of it on a budget. This is the first year I planted flowers and while some (dahlias) are holding up well, others (sunflowers) hate their new home.

I'm completely opposed to the idea of paying exoberant amounts of money for out-of-season blooms that are flown in from South America.

We don't need many, since the site is already flower filled and out centerpieces are jars with candles. Honestly, I'm looking for maybe 30 blooms maximum, and not necessarily all from one person.

I figure that this is as good a place to ask as any, and as I mentioned I'm more than prepared to bake cakes, cookies, brownies and make other delightful things (I also make jewelry for craft sales, etc).

Anyway, I'm posting this to the wiki (because even though it's not food, I am offering food *in exchange*) but I wanted to give a bit more explanation...

Fresh Foodie, lemme know if this isn't kosher.

2009 Jun 18
speaking from experience, plant lots of varieties of flowers. the dahlias may not bloom when expected, or a hungry ground hog might stop by and eat all their lovely flower tops (not that i am still holding a grudge years later or anything). sunflowers need sun and good soil, do you have that? i can offer you some compost if needed, it might just be a soil issue.

i won't know the state of my garden until later in the summer. i might have some cosmos and lilies i could trade you. this year i have a neglected garden as we focus on some much needed construction work instead.

i never buy flowers from out of country. i do buy flowers regularly from carleton growers. they are wonderful to deal with and have the most beautiful lilies (that last for weeks) and other things. they have a booth at the saturday market on main st, and the sunday market at landsdown. it is usually $2 a stem for flowers, but maybe they would give you a deal.

2009 Jun 18
here is a link. the owner fred is great to deal with!
www.carletongrowers.com/

be sure to check the seasonal chart to see what will be available around your wedding.

2009 Jun 18
Thanks HFF, I will certainly check Carleton Growers out, but I'm hoping to find some neighbours, friends, community members (*hi*) who can help out as well :)

2009 Jun 18
it is a good idea, though with bartering baked goods for flowers, you will end up spending around the same amount.

if i were doing this i'd post something on glebe freecycle under wanted. there are also barter boards for ottawa online. another thing i would do is take a long walk in the neighbourhood, scope out some gardens and just approach the owner. if you just want a handful of blooms and are offering baked goods in return, i bet you will get some interest.

good luck.

2009 Jun 21
Hi, check back with me a couple weeks before and I'll see what's blooming in my garden and my mother-in-law's garden. I personally don't grow Dalia's because I would never remember to dig up the bulbs in the fall!! Don't worry about an exchange or anything...I know how hard weddings are!! I find gardeners quite giving, maybe try to find an ottawa gardening forum and see if anyone is willing to donate some too...