Signs of autumn include falling leaves, hayrides and growing pumpkins. But plant lovers look forward to another important activity each year — the Fall Perennial Plant Swap at Deep River Park in Hobart.
Sponsored by the Lake County Parks Department, the popular plant exchange, which has been in existence for more than a dozen years, includes visitors potting and identifying extra perennials from their gardens and bringing them to exchange for others.
“I’m here every year,” said Irene Sowula of Lake Station, as she wheeled in a large variety of plants to this year’s swap. “I have a lot of excess in my garden and I had to clean and divide, so I’ve bought quite a bit.”
The purpose of the swap was to give visitors the opportunity to increase or change plant varieties.
Phillip Ruvituso of Hammond came to the swap to find some new greenery for his backyard.
“I want to make the yard more relaxing for my family, and also attractive to birds and butterflies,” he said. “I’m learning more about native plants, so I’m looking for some of those too.”
Geri Dunn lives on 5 acres in Valparaiso and has been attending the swap for the past six years.
“I’m always looking for something different for my large garden, that’s why I enjoy coming to this event,” she said, as she looked through this year’s selections. “I also enjoy talking with the other gardeners and getting information from them.”
Robert Hamady of Merrillville is especially interested in berries, but he’s open to other varieties of plants, flowers and bushes as well.
“This looks very interesting,” he said, as he looked over a chocolate plant. “I just found out it’s named for the color of its leaves.”
Many swap visitors were looking forward to the traditional arrival of Hyles-Anderson College groundskeeper Darin Scudder halfway through the event. Scudder each year delivers about two tons of compost for distribution. This year he also brought lilies, hostas and hibiscus plants.
“This (event) is awesome for the community,” said Scudder, who also is a professional landscaper. “I talk with the visitors, try to answer their questions and even learn some things myself.”
Oscar Rodriguez of Hobart was one of the first in line to fill up his buckets from Scudder’s truck.
“This (swap event) gives an opportunity to find plants, flowers or bushes we may not have in our own gardens and it doesn’t cost us a thing,” he said. “And cleaning out the excess we have in our own gardens is a good way to share”.
Katie Longman of Highland agrees.
“I love the feeling of getting new things for my garden, but it gets pretty expensive,” she said, as she headed to her car with a half dozen new plants from the swap exchange. “No money is exchanged here, my garden is thinned out from the plants I bought here, I’m leaving with new things and we all go home happy.”
Sue Ellen Ross is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.