Most years the weather is too cold or too wet to be gardening right now. If you're feeling like you have been driven indoors, take this time to plan, prepare and dream of spring! Attend one of the many horticultural events around Seattle and become a better gardener while having fun and supporting great organizations at the same time. For a full list of events, sales, tours and lectures see the Elisabeth C. Miller Library Regional Gardening Calendar at http://depts.washington.edu/hortlib/calendar/news_events.shtml.
EVENTS
The Miller Library at the Center for Urban Horticulture holds an annual Garden Lovers' Book Sale, April 2, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Admission is free; all proceeds go to purchase new horticultural books and journals for the Miller Library. Center for Urban Horticulture, UWBG, 3501 NE 41st Street, Seattle. To purchase tickets to the Preview Party on April 1, contact the Library at (206) 543-0415.
At Plant Nerd Night at The Mountaineers on Thursday, April 19, six plant specialists will give short presentations on their favorite plants. You will also be entertained by the 23-member Chorus of the Goddess Flora from Portland. Sounds like northwest style fun! You will receive a swag bag of free gifts from local nurseries, growers and vendors. Tickets are $10, the Mountaineers is located at 7700 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle. Sponsored by the Northwest Horticultural Society.
Take a gardener to an art exhibit at the Center for Urban Horticulture. For the month of February, original pen and ink drawings and oil paintings by Seattle artist Karen Luke Fildes from the book The Secret World of Slugs and Snails will be on exhibit. In April, botanical illustrations will be on exhibit by the Pacific NW chapter of American Association of Botanical Artists. Center for Urban Horticulture, UWBG, 3501 NE 41st Street, Seattle.
CLASSES & TOURS
Seattle Tilth offers a variety of classes in February from growing perennial edibles to pruning fruit trees to keeping urban livestock. Seattle Tilth class descriptions and on-line registration can be found at http://seattletilth.org/learn/classes-and-workshops/adultclassessorted.
Free Arboretum walks every other Sunday, 1-2:30 p.m. Feb. 5 and 19, March 4 and 18, starting at the Graham Visitors Center, 2300 Arboretum Dr. East 98112. These walks are based on the whims and interests of knowledgeable and engaging Garden Guides. Dress for the weather!
Stroll with your sweetie on opening day of the Japanese Garden in the Arboretum on February 12. The 2012 season starts with a Shinto blessing and calligraphy demonstration/workshop, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., $10.
University of Washington Botanical Gardens, http://depts.washington.edu/uwbg/visit/calendar.shtml, offers horticulture classes to the general public. The Northwest Horticultural Society also offers lectures and classes; lectures are free with membership, http://www.northwesthort.org/calendar.html.
Local nurseries offer classes all year long. Sky Nursery, http://skynursery.com, offers free classes most Saturday mornings from 11-12:30 p.m. Swanson's Nursery http://swansonsnursery.com, offers classes on most weekends. Molbak's, http://molbaks.com offers mostly free classes also on weekends.
PLANT SALES
Seattle
NHS Ephemerals and More Spring Plant Sale takes place on March 9, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at NHS Hall, Center for Urban Horticulture. All proceeds benefit the Miller Horticultural Library. Plants offered at this plant sale are unusual.
The Seattle Tilth March Edible Plant Sale is March 17, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., at Hanger 30 at Magnuson Park. Come out to this festive spring gathering and find a huge selection of spring edibles- organic veggies, herbs, edible flowers, fruit shrubs, fruit trees, seeds, supplies and knowledge galore.
South Seattle Community College Plant Sale is April 14,11 a.m.-3 p.m. Plants are propagated by students. Perennials, shrubs, groundcovers, small trees, vines and more are available. Parking is free in the nursery parking lot, 1600 16th Avenue SW Seattle.
Eastside
Tolt Middle School is having a Native Plant Sale March 3, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. They will have over 2,000 plants for sale and the proceeds go to Tolt Middle School programs. 3740 Tolt Ave, Carnation, WA 98014.
The March Mania Plant Sale to benefit the Northwest Perennial Alliance is March 10, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Bellevue Botanical Garden. This sale features spring ephemerals. Let experts help you choose some of the earliest bloomers of the season. More information: www.northwestperennialalliance.org or (425) 647-6004.
The annual Eastside Audubon Pacific Northwest Native Plant Sale is April 30, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Kirkland Children's School, 5311 - 108th Ave. NE. Plant experts will help you to select from more than 100 species of native plants: flowering, fruit-bearing, edible plants, ground covers, trees of all sizes, evergreens and perennials.
Union Hill Community Plant Swap is Saturday April 21, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Attend a tail gate plant swap or just bring some plants to give away. The plant swap is held in the parking lot of Living Hope Lutheran Church, west of Emily Dickinson Elementary School, 7305 208th Ave N.E. Redmond, WA 98053. No sales please.
Lake Washington Institute of Technology Spring Plant Sale 2012 is April 27 and 28, and again May 4 and 5 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Plants are grown by Lake Washington horticulture students.
Many local plant nurseries are running great bare root plant sales this time of year. You can find bare root or potted up roses, fruit trees, cane berries and shrubs sometimes up to 40% off, sure to please!.
Other Plant Sales
Conservation District Bare Root Plant Sales are happening all around the state. The last day for ordering plants for the King Conservation District is Jan 27, so it may be too late for this year but it is not too late for the Snohomish Conservation District Plant Sale which is March 2 and 3. The last day to order is February 8, see http://snohomishcd.org/plant-sale. This is a great opportunity to buy healthy, small native plants, perfect for restoration projects.
For individualized answers to questions about your landscape please contact the Garden Hotline at (206) 633-0224, Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. or email us at help@gardenhotline.org. We have professional horticulturists ready to assist you!
Disclaimer: Please use this channel at your own discretion. These articles are contributed by our users. We are not responsible or liable for any problems related to the utilization of information of these articles.
View All Contributions
|
