Seminar Spotlight: Designing Minds Share Knowledge & Insights

It’s the age-old question: Which comes first, the plants, or the garden? So many of us begin our gardening journey by putting a few plants into our outdoor spaces and thinking we’re done. Then, faster than the spread of Euphorbia Robbiae, our plant lust addiction grabs a hold of our senses, and we find ourselves trying to stuff plants into every corner. It’s a case of too many plants, not enough plan.  Well-seasoned gardeners (most learning the hard way) know to start with a PLAN, and carefully consider the needs of their family, their lifestyle, and their outdoor spaces before embarking on a plant shopping spree.

Fortunately the Garden Show has a wealth of great speakers who can help you discover how to get your garden started with a plan that will meet your needs, both immediate and long-term. You can learn how to take advantage of all your garden spaces. So whether your garden is new or established or large or small, these seminars will surely provide valuable insights in garden design, and tips on the plants you’ll want to include.

Lucy Hardiman, Garden designer, writer and author, Intimate Gardens
Lucy Hardiman was to the garden born. As a fifth generation Oregon gardener, most of her childhood memories revolve around the cycles and seasons of the garden.  She is the principal of Perennial Partners, a garden design collaborative, distinguished by their innovative hardscapes, playful planting designs and creative approach to problem solving. She is a past president of the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon, is vice president of the Friends of the Rogerson Clematis Collection and is on the Great Plant Picks perennials committee. She co-authored Intimate Gardens (Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 2005) and is currently working on a new book. A popular lecturer, teacher and author, Hardiman is a contributing editor for Horticulture Magazine and shares her opinionated perspective on gardening on her blog, ‘Perennial Patter.’ Website: http://nwf.gs/foCHMN
 

Inside the Designer’s Studio
The Art of Transforming Your Garden
Friday, February 25 at 10:00 am in the Rainier Room
Time marches on in every garden. Some gardens wear their age better than others, and all gardens need “a little work” now and then. Is it time to restore, renovate or re-envision your garden? Designer, author and garden show favorite Lucy Hardiman takes you inside the mind and studio of a garden designer, and shows you fresh approaches for renewing your own garden. 

    

Susan Morrison – Co-author, Garden Up!
Susan Morrison is a landscape designer, garden writer, and Master Gardener based in Northern California. Her design philosophy is simple: To create beautiful, sustainable, functional gardens. Susan is the co-author of Garden Up! Smart Vertical Gardening for Small and Large Spaces (Cool Springs Press, 2011) and a contributing editor at Fine Gardening Magazine. An early convert to the value of social media, she connects with gardeners from all over the world via Twitter, Facebook and her blogs http://nwf.gs/gEvGIN.  To see Susan’s design portfolio, visit her company website: http://nwf.gs/gasQgH    

Rebecca Sweet – Co-author, Garden Up!
Rebecca Sweet is a garden designer and the owner of Harmony In The Garden, located in Northern California. Rebecca’s signature ‘Garden Fusion’ style blends her clients’ personal desires with regionally appropriate plants. Her gardens have been featured in Fine Gardening Magazine, Fine Homebuilding Magazine and Beds & Borders as well as regional newspapers and publications.  She is the co-author of Garden Up! Smart Vertical Gardening for Small and Large Spaces (Cool Springs Press, 2011).  In addition to designing gardens, Rebecca also writes the ‘Design Perspectives’ column for Horticulture Magazine and is a contributing editor for Fine Gardening Magazine.  She blogs at ‘Gossip in the Garden’ at http://nwf.gs/gZiLVM   

Garden Up!
Smart Vertical Gardening for Small & Large Spaces
Friday, February 25 at 4:00 pm in the Rainier Room
Saturday, February 26 at 12:15 pm in the Hood Room
Vertical gardening is the latest, most talked about garden trend. Whether you’re interested in edibles, ornamentals or a little of both, taking advantage of vertical spaces is an easy way to take your garden to the next level. Filled with inspiring photos and innovative approaches, Susan and Rebecca’s presentation will highlight a range of vertical gardening ideas, from vegetable towers made of recycled PVC pipes to stunning succulent walls. 

  

Marianne Binetti – Syndicated columnist & author, Edible Gardens for Washington & Oregon
Known for her light-hearted and fun approach to garden writing, Marianne has a B.A. in horticulture from Washington State University and writes a syndicated column that runs in over a dozen newspapers. She also writes weekly for the Tacoma News Tribune garden page. You may recognize Marianne from her many appearances on HGTV. The Seattle native is the author of ten gardening books.  Her most recent book is Edible Gardens for Washington & Oregon, and she is also the author of Container Gardening for Washington and Oregon (Lonepine Press, January 2008) and Herbs for Washington & Oregon (Lonepine Press, January 2008). Her latest project includes taking gardeners around the globe to see beautiful gardens.  Website: http://nwf.gs/8Xcthn    

A Tale of Two Gardens
Good vs. Evil in Garden Design and Plant Choices
Sunday, February 27 at 12:45 pm in the Rainier Room
Avoid garden headaches and hassles! Marianne Binetti shows you how to use smart garden design and make great plant choices and combinations, vs. poor design and problem plants. With just a few good decisions in design and plants, you’ll have a tale of your own garden that will have a happy ending.    

Marianne will also be appearing on Thursday’s episode of THE GARDEN SHOW:    

THE GARDEN SHOW: Our Most Unforgettable Characters
Guest Stars: Marianne Binetti, Cass Turnbull & Steve Lorton
Thursday, February 24 at 2:30 pm in the Rainier Room
Join us for something completely new on the seminar stages as four gardening luminaries get together to talk about the unforgettable obsessed gardeners they have met during their careers. This is a totally spontaneous and ad-libbed conversation hosted by Ciscoe Morris, popular radio and TV host and author of Ask Ciscoe!, along with guest stars Marianne Binetti, columnist and author; Cass Turnbull, founder of Plant Amnesty; and Steve Lorton, former editor of Sunset magazine.  Put these four storytellers in a room together and turn them loose with microphones and it’s sure to be an hour of wild stories!  

Vanessa Gardner Nagel, APLD- Garden designer & author, Understanding Garden Design
Vanessa Gardner Nagel, APLD, is the author of Understanding Garden Design: The Complete Handbook for Aspiring Designers (Timber Press, 2010). Sunset Magazine awarded her an Award of Excellence in the 2004 Landscape Design Competition. After a formal education in design, she worked as a commercial interior designer for over 22 years with architectural firms in the San Francisco Bay Area and Portland, Oregon. As the owner of Seasons Garden Design LLC in Vancouver, WA since 2002, Vanessa promotes sustainability while designing innovative, practical, and client-specific gardens. Follow her blog at http://nwf.gs/hQiHXT  or visit her website at http://nwf.gs/f5IUNI.    

Designing the Irresistible Garden
Create Your Own Using Basic Design Principles
Friday, February 25 at 9:30 am in the Hood Room
Many people waste a lot of time, effort and money in their garden because they don’t start with a design plan. Turn your garden into an enticing siren that lures you in any season. With a good understanding of the basic principles of garden design, such as the effective use of color, line, form, texture, variety, unity, balance, rhythm, repetition, scale and proportion, you’ll be off to a good start to your dream garden. Back by popular demand, Vanessa describes basic design principles in an relaxed and lighthearted manner that makes designing a garden easy to understand!  

Nicholas Staddon – Director of New Plant Introductions, Monrovia
Nicholas Staddon, Director of New Plants for Monrovia, has been a Monrovia Craftsman for over 20 years. Working with breeders, hybridizers, and professional plant explorers, he scours the globe for new creations and discoveries in the plant world. Nicholas is also sought out as a resource and guest for television and radio gardening shows across the US. Nicholas works closely with professional garden writers and Monrovia’s customers, providing information on plants – both old and new – sharing his views on garden trends. He has created a series of informative ‘Plant Savvy’ videos that can be found online. Visit the Monrovia exhibit at booth # 406. Website: http://nwf.gs/eALlzz    

Small Garden, Big Ideas
Create a Year-Round Tapestry of Plants
Saturday, February 26 at 7:00 pm in the Hood Room
It’s not time we want on our hands, it’s dirt! For those gardeners that have a smaller garden, this is a must-see presentation. Nicholas will navigate through a selection of shrubs, perennials and vines, both ornamental and fruit bearing, hardy and exotic, that can be woven into a year-round tapestry taking the smaller space to a grand garden experience. He will not forget the patio area, taking into account his own personal passion of “sitting among your plants.” We will also be introduced to an array of brand new plant introductions just perfect for growing in the Pacific Northwest. 

Greg Butler – Garden designer & EdCC Instructor
In spite of the fact that he is a graduate of the Horticulture Program at Edmonds Community College and the Landscape Architecture Program at the University of Washington, Greg prefers to think of himself as just another overeducated gardener.  Since 1994 he has been the owner of Design of the Times, a garden & landscape design & consultation firm.  Greg was instrumental in the creation of the Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden, leading the team that created the Master Plan and acting as Project Manager in the relocation of both the Elda Behm Paradise Garden and the historic Seike Japanese Garden. He teaches the Landscape Renovation class at EdCC, and is a speaker in the King and Pierce County Natural Yard Care programs. Website:  http://nwf.gs/hqD1kE    

The Green Side Goes Up!
Save Time, Money & Stress with Garden Renovation
Saturday, February 26 at 10:00 am in the Rainier Room
A practical and philosophical look at 10 simple things gardeners can do to save time, money, and the planet, delivered with more than a touch of humor. Recede from the dominant paradigm and have a garden that costs less money, requires less work, and is a healthier place for you, your family, and the rest of us. Learn how to manage your own soil and storm water issues, free yourself from chemical dependency and lawnmower drudgery, and work with nature to build a beautiful garden packed with foliage, flowers, food, and wildlife.

 Phil Wood – Lecturer, writer & landscape architect
Phil Wood is the owner of Phil Wood Garden Design, a residential garden design firm in Seattle. Phil earned his Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from the University of Washington and his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture from the Cornish College of the Arts. He writes a monthly column on garden design for City Living that appears in five community newspapers in the Seattle area. Phil has designed 12 display gardens at the Northwest Flower and Garden show. His gardens have won many gold medals and are always a crowd favorite. Be sure to visit his show garden! Website: http://nwf.gs/94riBQ.    

Moving Through Your Garden
Designing Paths to Create Dramatic Garden Frameworks
Sunday, February 27 at 11:00 am in the Hood Room
Paths tie your garden together and provide the bones of your design. Designer Phil Wood shows you how to create the structure that connects your livable outdoor spaces and how to choose path materials that underscore the exuberance of your plants. 

Steve Lorton – Former editor, Sunset magazine
Steve Lorton was at Sunset Magazine for 33 years, most recently as the Northwest Bureau Chief. The Senke School of Ikebana gave him their first and only honorary membership.  He started the Seattle Street Tree Advisory Board for the City of Seattle, served on the Executive Boards of the Washington Park Arboretum, The Northwest Horticulture Society, The Arboretum Bulletin Editorial Board, and the Northwest Trail of the Woodland Park Zoological Gardens.  He has written extensively about gardens in America, Canada, Japan, Korea, Finland, England, Spain, France and Brazil.    

Exploring Our Asian Roots
Japanese Influence on Northwest Gardens
Wednesday, February 23 at 5:45 pm in the Hood Room
Join master story-teller Steve Lorton has he takes you on a tour of Japanese gardens and shares his insights into their influence on Northwest gardens today.    

Steve will also be appearing in an episode of THE GARDEN SHOW:    

THE GARDEN SHOW: Our Most Unforgettable Characters
Four Gardening Raconteurs on Their Most Memorable People!
Thursday, February 24 at 2:30 pm in the Rainier Room

Meghan Fuller, Landscape Designer, Rock Solid Landscapes
Meghan Fuller is a landscape designer and maintenance manager with Rock Solid Landscapes in Seattle. She received her BFA from the School of Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and her ATA in Landscape Design from Edmonds Community College. She also teaches seminars on a variety of topics at Swansons nursery. Website: http://nwf.gs/eP1ASN   

The Details Make the Difference
Plant Marriages That Don’t End in Divorce
Friday, February 25 at 6:30 pm in the Rainier Room
Plants and layout provide the structure of a good garden, but for a truly stunning garden, you need interesting and beautiful plant combinations that read both at a distance and up close. Learn how to successfully combine plants so you can take your garden to the next level. Meghan will discuss plant type, texture, size, shape, and color using examples from the garden to show how to create unique combinations that work.    

For the entire seminar schedule, go to http://nwf.gs/cPkzdq.  And be sure to “Like” us on our Facebook page so you can be entered in our Fairytale Prize Drawing! – Janet

Melinda’s Ratatouille

Milwaukee’s favorite gardener, Melinda Myers, claims “A cook I am not, but I love to grow the ingredients for my favorite meals. And when summer arrives and I can pick the herbs and veggies right from my garden, cooking becomes less of a chore. And the results taste much better! This is the dish I plan my garden around and am happy to share with family and friends.”

One way to get the family back to the table is to grow your own fresh herbs, vegetables and fruits for your family recipes. For this info and more visit Melinda’s website at http://bit.ly/ieAzNd

Melinda is a favorite show speaker, loved for her lighthearted, fresh approach to all things gardening. Be sure to catch her seminars at the show: “Garden-tainment” on Sunday, February 27 at 11:15 am in the Rainier Room, and her two Sprout Stage presentations just for the young and young-at-heart, “Grow Your Own Worms” on Saturday and Sunday at 10:00 am on the Sprout Stage.

INGREDIENTS
1 medium eggplant cubed
3 medium zucchini sliced
2 medium onions sliced
1 medium sweet pepper diced
3 Tb olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 or more tomatoes, enough to fill, the 2 skillets – in quarters of eighths (I like a combo of Roma and whatever else is in season)
½ cup fresh parsley chopped
1 Tb fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil leaves
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS
Sauté eggplant, zucchini, onions and peppers in oil and garlic in large skillet or saucepan until tender, or about 10 minutes. (I usually end up chopping and dicing enough to fill two large skillets.)

Add tomatoes, parsley and basil. Stir to blend and cook over medium heat to allow liquid to evaporate. The juicier the tomatoes the longer it takes. But the fresh-from-the garden flavor can’t be beat.

Place mixture in a 11 ¾ x 7 ½ x 1 ¾ baking dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (it is also good without the cheese for those eliminating dairy from their diets). Cover with foil. Bake at 450° F for 30 minutes, or until heated thoroughly. (I often lift the foil after 30 minutes and continue to cook if the dish is still too liquidy.)

Serve as side dish or main entrée over rice or pasta. Serves 4 to 6

Adapted from recipe found in Woman’s Day many years ago.

Here’s wishing you joy with a bounty of edible gardening and healthy eating in the New Year! For more terrific recipes from our 2011 garden show speakers, just look for the listings on the ‘Fresh from the Garden’ menu. And to find out when they are all speaking, go to  http://bit.ly/hO9DKq – Janet

“Once Upon a Time” Sparks Garden Creators’ Imaginations

Early next year, during five typically cold and gloomy days in February, the Washington State Convention Center in downtown Seattle will spring to life like a Tim Burton movie set. Twenty-two groups of garden designers and landscapers will be creating dramatic show gardens, most using a beloved book or fairy tale as the source of their inspiration. The show gardens are the heart and soul of a world-class garden show, and the Northwest Flower & Garden Show, now in its 23^rd year, is pulling out all the stops to produce “Once Upon a Time…Spectacular Gardens with Stories to Tell.”

NEW ‘SIGNATURE GARDEN’
In fact, last February the folks at O’Loughlin Trade Shows, the new owners of the show, were so captivated by the beauty and drama of the show gardens, they decided to create their own show garden for the 2011 show. This is really a testament to their commitment to the show, the largest and most respected world-class garden show on the West Coast.  As Show Producer Terry O’Loughlin said, “we’re all in, and completely vested in the success and tradition of the show.” So the Show has teamed up with four designers to create this first-ever ‘Signature Garden.’

The Signature Garden designers are going by the nom de plume of ‘d4collective.’  This group designed the 2010 Gold Medal show garden for the Association Professional of Landscape Designers (APLD – Washington Chapter) – and actually remained friends through it all. Susie Thompson, Octavia Chambliss, Barbara Lycett, APLD, and Daniel Lowery, APLD, are teaming up again, and promise an ethereal and dream-like garden experience, with a garden of pure white flowers, pools of water and stunning sculpture, titled “Garden in Verse.” They are blogging about their experiences in a new blog, http://nwf.gs/aYqU0D so you can follow the creative design and build process. It’s fascinating to read about the collaborative process of these top designers and the artists they are teaming with. Multiply this process by 21 other design teams, and you can only begin to imagine the time, energy and effort it takes to create a show garden.

CHILDREN’S CLASSICS
The show’s 2011 theme spurred the recollections of many designers about their favorite children’s books. Zsofia Pasztor, of Innovative Landscape Technologies, plans to interpret the Lewis Carroll classic, Alice in Wonderland, and to “think outside the rabbit hole.” I wonder, will this garden be very BIG, or very small? Cedar Grove Composting will also be using a passage from Alice in Wonderland as their inspiration, with a garden titled “Alice’s Labyrinth.” It will evoke the distance we must travel for a sustainable society; thinking we are at the end, when we only find ourselves back at the beginning.

Designer Susan Brown, owner of Susan Brown Landscape Design, will be building three structures reminiscent of those in the classic fairy tale of the Three Little Pigs, with a garden titled “Run Little Pigs, Run!” Who knows if the Big Bad Wolf will be hanging around? The Brothers Grimm tale of Rapunzel will be the inspiration for the Flower Growers of Puget Sound, with the story of Rapunzel artfully created using early-flowering annuals and spring flowering bulbs, all arranged around her stacked rock tower.

NOVEL IDEAS
Charles Dickens’ seminal classic novel, Great Expectations, will serve as the foundation for Susan Calhoun, of Plantswoman Design. Susan describes it as “the ultimate fairytale ending. This garden will lead us on a journey of a life lived in heartache and darkness turned to light and love.”

“Stepping Through a Timeless Tranquil Forest” will convey the Legend of Bigfoot, created by John Kinssies of Kinssies Landscaping. Visitors will be transported to a mountain alpine setting with a spectacular waterfall, hoping to spot a glimpse of Bigfoot as he sneaks away into the native plantings.

Historical settings are the genesis for gardens by both The Arboretum Foundation and the Northwest Orchid Society. The Arboretum Foundation’s show garden will be based on the Japanese fable “The Old Man Who Made Trees Blossom.” The display celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Seattle Japanese Garden at the Arboretum. Look for the faithful dog Shiro who helps his master revive an old cherry tree in the courtyard garden of the local prince.

The Northwest Orchid Society picked a book that was a natural fit – The Orchid Hunters by Sandra K. Moore. It will highlight how the past and present often touch each other, and how certain historical figures influenced the orchids we grow and love today. (And if you’re an orchid aficionado be sure to see Joseph Grienauer’s seminar, “The Seedy History of Orchids – Greed, Murder, Revenge and Redemption in the Orchid World.” It seems the history of orchids is ‘R’ rated!)

Judith Jones, owner of Fancy Fronds, and Vanca Lumson, of ALBE Rustics, are well known to show goers for their amazingly inventive gardens. Their next garden will be based on the beloved masterpiece, The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame. They will be creating a scene of Badger’s wild woods, with Portly Otter’s rain garden swale, and a meadow gracing Toad Hall. And Judith and Vanca, along with the “Slightly Askew Troupe” will also be creating a madcap musical for the Sprout Stage to entertain children, called “The Riverbank Adventure.”

The Washington Chapter of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD) are putting tongue firmly in cheek with their garden, “Wish Shoe Were Here,” a take on the popular nursery rhyme, “The Old Woman in the Shoe.” And what a shoe it will be, an inspired fantasy supported by the semi-tropical and common plants that surround it. Likewise the Washington Association of Landscape Professionals (WALP) will be interpreting the classic The Frog Prince, by Gustaf Tenggren, reminding us that all that glitters is not gold – and their ‘greenstyle’ retreat can capture ‘liquid gold’ with their water-conserving design ideas.

GARDEN DESIGN MENTORING
Many of the show garden designers are seasoned veterans, but the show welcomes some new designers too. One of them, 17-year-old Courtney Goetz, is taking on a real challenge, designing a garden for a high school project. Of course she has a very experienced mentor – her mother, Sue Goetz, of Creative Gardener, who will also be a show speaker. Courtney’s garden, “Paradise (to be) Regained” borrows from Henry David Thoreau’s book of the same title. She wants to share a garden that seeks sustainability. As Courtney says, “This garden uses the power to reclaim and ‘recharacterize’ what is left behind. So when Father Industry comes to battle with Mother Nature, who wins?”

The award-winning historical novel, Stowaway, by Karen Hesse, will serve as the source for the Washington State Nursery & Landscape Association (WSNLA) garden. It will be designed and built by the team of Kate Easton of Garden Vision, Meg Pulkkinen of Meg Pulkkinin Landscape Design, Lloyd Glasscock of Pacific Stone Company and Kirsten Lints, of Gardens Alive Design. They will be imagining how the exotic Australia would have appeared to an intrepid young stowaway, Nicholas, in 1770, when he landed with the company of scientists and artists and the legendary Captain Cook from the HMS Endeavour.

RETURNING FAVORITES
Water is the focus of Artistic Garden Concepts designer Nancy Clair Guth. Her garden, titled “Rain, Rain Go Away…P.S. Come Again,” will show how the concept of water management can be both interactive and innovative; a symphony in green in harmony with water. Wight’s Home & Garden will be showcasing “Once Upon a Thyme – A Recipe for the Good Life.” They will reveal the three secrets to a good and happy life – of course the first secret is a garden to feed the soul. Find out the other secrets when you view their inventive garden, filled with ideas and accessories you can take home and use.

Brian Heather, of SolTerra Systems, will be creating “Next Stop, Hotel Babylon,” a place where new living systems create a backdrop for eco-chic travelers, replete with a green roof canopy and vegetative floor tiles. And we go from the modern to the ancient, with “Gnarly Branches, Ancient Trees” based on the book of the same title about the life and work of Dan Robinson, of Elandan Gardens. It aims to be a celebration of ancient trees, natural sculptural elements leaving the mark of artistic courage and originality.

John and Toni Christianson of Christianson’s Nursery have often created award-winning show gardens that are attendee favorites. They are back for 2011 with “A Day Well Spent – Once Upon a Time, the Way We Used to Garden.” They plan to evoke a nostalgic and simpler era when a small, charming family nursery grew plants from seeds or in their own fields, and sold them to local neighbors. A family nursery not unlike the way Christianson’s was in its earliest days.

And while Christianson’s Nursery will be looking to the past, Karen Stefonick, of Karen Stefonick Design, along with Brent Bissell, will look to the future with her garden, “Gardens Not Yet Discovered,” based on the science fiction fantasy novel, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle. This will be a fanciful blend of science fiction and gardening, depicting “tesseracts,” described as “folds in time and space,” so be prepared to do some traveling to other dimensions when viewing this garden.

Suzy Dingle and Victor Higgins, of Suzy Dingle Landscape Creations, are using a soon-to-be-released book by Suzy Dingle as the source of their inspiration for a garden titled Where Gifts and Wildings Grow. Look for the heroine, Mindy, in a gently cultivated sanctuary with a secluded hot spring near a ferny outcropping on the eve of a sacred gathering. 

GARDENS FOR ALL AGES
Parents and teachers should encourage youth to read many of these books and fairytales, and then visit the show to see how the settings were imagined by these talented garden creators. No matter what novel serves as inspiration for our 2011 Garden Creators, you can be sure that they will be incorporating today’s design imperatives: gardens that work with nature, utilizing the latest in water conservation, sustainable planting, and extending the home for enjoyable outdoor living. Show attendees will see how all these garden design trends can look beautiful, and find many ideas to bring home to their own gardens. For more information about all the show gardens, visit our website at http://nwf.gs/ex0Nao. ~ Janet

Here’s What’s Happening in January

Wednesday, January 12
6:45 pm
“Gardening Where We Live: A Pacific Northwest Convergence”
Lucy Hardiman
Lucy Hardiman, author, teacher, garden designer and owner of Perennial Partners in Portland, will discuss horticultural convergence of cutting edge nurseries and inventive designers that produce the great gardens of the Northwest. She will illustrate this convergence by showing how innovative gardeners throughout the region are creating gardens that are bodacious and beautiful, functional and fun, original and organic, sustainable and sassy, and plant driven and productive. Lucy will also be presenting two seminars at the Northwest Flower & Garden Show.
Northwest Horticultural Society
Center for Urban Horticulture
3501 NE 41st Street, Seattle
Fee: Members – $5; Non-members – $10
Information: http://nwf.gs/biv7QX

Sunday, January 16
1:00 pm
“Garden Borders from Dull to Drama”
Sue Goetz
Believing garden design is more than just the mechanics of planting, Sue assists gardeners to create timeless gardens and outdoor living spaces with her business Creative Gardener. Join her as she talks about updating, editing and stylizing mixed borders. Sue is certified as a professional horticulturist with the WSNLA, a board member of The Northwest Horticultural Society and a member of Garden Writer’s of America. Sue has created gold-winning gardens at the Northwest Flower & Garden Show and will be mentoring her daughter Courtney, who is designing a 2011 show garden, titled “Paradise to be Regained.” Sue is also speaking at the show on Thursday.
Northwest Perennial Alliance
Center for Urban Horticulture
3501 NE 41^st Street, Seattle
Fee: Members – Free; Non-members – $10
Information: http://nwf.gs/hWg85y

Saturday, January 22
11:00 am – 12:30 pm
“Fruit Tree Grafting”
Bill Davis
Learn the basics of fruit tree grafting, rootstock and scionwood selection from Bill David of the Western Washington Fruit Research Foundation and Dan Vorhis of Sky Nursery. Apples, pears, plums – create your own dwarf tree of start an espalier! The short lecture will be followed by a hands-on class, with supplies available for purchase. And the Western Washington Fruit Research Foundation will have an exhibit booth at the show, # 2824, so stop by if you have questions. Free; pre-registration required.
Sky Nursery
18528 Aurora Ave. N. Seattle
To register: Email to sky@skynursery.com or call 206-546-4851
For more info: http://nwf.gs/dGoQB9

Sunday, January 30,
Program begins at 2:00 pm
Doors open at 1:00pm for book and seed sales
“Vertically Speaking”
Flora Grubb and Panayoti Kelaidis
Flora Grubb, noted San Francisco landscape designer and garden shop owner, will show us some “Fresh Perspectives on Gardening”. Flora Grubb’s Gardens is a hip, design-driven nursery with exceptional plants showcased with garden furnishings, books, and art. Ms Grubbs, a proponent of environmentally responsible landscapes, has created many water-saving outdoor spaces, both private and public in the San Francisco Bay area. Named a “Tastemaker” by House & Garden in 2007, Flora’s nursery has been profiled in Sunset, Garden Design, Dwell, Travel & Leisure and other publications.

Panayoti Kelaidis is Senior Curator & Director of Outreach for the Denver Botanic Garden. Horticulturist, plant explorer, curator of plant collections, teacher, liaison to the public and trade, he is an expert in many areas but especially recognized for his knowledge of high altitude plants. Mr Kelaidis is the recipient of the Arthur Hoyt Scott Medal from Swarthmore College, considered the highest honor in American horticulture. Panayoti will also be serving as a Show Judge and seminar speaker at the 2011 Northwest Flower & Garden Show.
Hardy Plant Society of Oregon  - The Winter program is underwritten by the Parker Sanderson Memorial Fund, established to promote horticultural education.
Portland State University
Hoffmann Hall
1833 SW 11th Avenue, Portland 97201
Fee: HPSO members – #15;  Non-members $25
To register: http://nwf.gs/gnYWBx

Saturday and Sunday, January 28 & 29
9:00 am – 5:00 pm each day
“An Introduction to Botanical Art”
Linda Ann Vorobik, PhD
Dr. Vorobik, PhD Botanist and Botanical Artist, through demonstrations and lectures, introduces participants to drawing skills, parts of the plant, what botanical illustration is when defined precisely, and Pen & Ink or Watercolor techniques as used for plant portraits. The first morning of the workshop begins with introductions and demonstrations followed by supervised drawing to create pencil drafts for watercolors; later in the morning pen & ink supplies are described and techniques are demonstrated. The afternoon consists of lecture/demonstrations on watercolor supplies and techniques followed by drawing and painting time. The second morning will begin with more demonstrations followed by supervised drawing and painting. The workshop closes with a friendly critique of works produced. All skill levels are welcome: accomplished artists can increase their knowledge of botany and skilled botanists learn drawing and painting techniques. Linda will also be a new exhibitor at the garden show, so visit her booth, #515.
UW Botanic Gardens
Center for Urban Horticulture
Douglas Classroom
3501 NE 41st Street, Seattle
Fee: $185 for Early Bird discount; $200 after January 14 (for both days)
For more information, contact jrobins@u.washington.edu or 206-685-8033

PLAN AHEAD – REGISTER NOW for NHS SYMPOSIUM
Saturday, March 26
8:30 am – 4:00 pm
“Inspiration and Beauty in the Environmentally Responsible Garden”
Paul Bonne – “Growing Dry in the Pacific Northwest”
Kate Frey – “Inspirational Plantings for Pollinators”
Eric T. Fleisher – “Managing the Environment: An Adaptive Challenge”
Thomas Hobbs – “Dreams + Desire = Destiny or Disaster?”
Northwest Horticultural Society
Bastyr University
14500 Juanita Drive NE, Kenmore
Fee: Members – $60; Non-members - $80
To register: Email nwhort@aol.com or phone 206-780-8172
For more information: http://nwf.gs/biv7QX

Zsofia’s Savory Sorrel Tart

Zsofia Pasztor is the owner of Innovative Landscape Technologies. She knows all about plants that grow well with little water, so she’s a big fan of Sorrel, a perennial herb. Here she shares a recipe for Savory Sorrel Tart, similar to a quiche and a wonderful lunch or dinner entrée. To Zsofia Sorrel, which is similar to spinach, is a valuable plant that is often misunderstood, so she wanted to share a way to use it in cooking.

INGREDIENTS
1 9-inch single pie crust
3 T unsalted butter
1/2 c leek & stems, thinly sliced (we slice the greens & throw them in with the sorrel too)
1 lg. bunch Sorrel, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 eggs
1 c cream
1/4 c. Gruyere, or your favorite cheese grated
salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prick the pie crust all over with a fork. Line the pie crust with foil and weigh down with uncooked rice or beans. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Carefully remove foil and beans.

In a skillet, melt butter. Add the leeks, including bulbs & stems. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add the sorrel and continue cooking over low heat. When the sorrel is completely wilted, remove from heat and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and cream. Add half the cheese and the sorrel and leek mixture. Mix together and season with salt and pepper. Layer the other half of the cheese on the crust.

Pour the filling on top. Bake until set, about 35 minutes.

Zsofia’s 2010 show garden, “There’s No Place Like Home,” was an imaginative demonstration of water conservation done in whimsical fantasy with a Wizard of Oz theme. Her 2011 garden will have an “Alice in Wonderland” theme, and is sure to be a hit. And don’t miss Zsofia’s seminar, “Managing Water Sustainably – Plants for Rain Gardens, Living Walls & Roofs,” on Saturday, February 26 at 7:15 pm in the Rainier Room. – Janet