Subaru Presents Organic Gardening Pioneers
The Northwest Flower & garden Show is proud to partner with Subaru bringing two leading innovators of organic gardening to our seminar stages.
This is an opportunity for a thought-provoking look at the organic gardening movement in the U.S. –where it was, where it is, and where it’s going, and importantly, the role women have played in its genesis and success.
Therese Ciesinski, Managing Editor of Organic Gardening magazine will recognize the invaluable contributions of women from every walk of life as they nurtured their families and their communities with organic edible gardening. Therese will be speaking on Wednesday, February 20 at 11:30 am.
Coach Mark Smallwood, Executive Director of the Rodale Institute, will give us a detailed overview of the past, present, and future of the organic movement in the United States and the role that Rodale Institute had in supporting and shaping that transition. Coach will be speaking on Thursday, February 21 at 3:00 pm.
We will be giving away door prizes to lucky winners at both these seminars - gift cards for Subaru gear and subscriptions to Organic Gardening magazine. And be sure to visit the Subaru garden on the sky bridge and in the South Lobby and learn more about how Subaru supports the gardening community and the environment.
The Northwest Flower & Garden Show will be held February 20 – 24 at the Washington state Convention Center in Seattle. All seminars are FREE to show attendees – over 100 unique, entertaining and inspirational talks to help you create your best garden ever. Get your tickets today. ~ Janet
Opening Night Party at the Garden Show
One of the highlights for local gardeners is the annual Northwest Flower & Garden Show Opening Night Party, to be held on Tuesday, February 19, from 5:00 pm – 9:40 pm, hosted by the Arboretum Foundation to benefit the Washington Park Arboretum. This is a must-attend party for the ‘horteratti.’
Guests can enjoy a festive evening with delicious food, fine wines, live music and a splendid silent auction filled with vacation getaways, collectable wines, fun experiences, plants and all things avid gardeners love.
This woodland garden, created by the Arboretum Foundation for the 2009 garden show, is filled with plants native to the Cascades.
But what is more exciting is the opportunity to see all of the 23 lavish show gardens before the show opens to the public the next morning. All the while helping to support the Washington Park Arboretum. Established in 1934, the arboretum is a 230-acre living museum of priceless woodlands, wetlands, gardens and walking trails nestled in the heart of bustling Seattle. It has been treasured by generations of nature lovers, gardeners, tourists and citizens of the Emerald City.
All of the show gardens this year are inspired by the history and tradition of the cinema, so the Arboretum Foundation movers and shakers are capturing that spirit with the party. You can walk down the red carpet, pose for paparazzi, and gossip with your favorite Northwest horticulture celebrities.
To celebrate the Seattle Japanese Garden’s 50th anniversary in 2011, the Arboretum Foundation team designed this award-winning Japanese garden.
You’ll also be the first to see the Foundation’s own display garden, which pays homage to the gorgeous gardens and scenery of New Zealand and the popular new film, “The Hobbit.” It will once again be designed by the award-winning team of Phil Wood, Bob Lilly and Roger Williams.
Patrons and Benefactors will be treated to a special appearance by Santa Barbara-based designer Billy Goodnick, author of the new book , Yards: Turn Any Outdoor Space Into the Garden of Your Dreams, to be published by St. Lynn’s Press and released just before the 2013 show. Billy will be roving the gardens, microphone in hand, and sharing his “Top Ten Design Tips for Sustainability and Outdoor Living.” Billy’s design eye, combined with his keen wit, promises to make this an entertaining way to discover new trends.
In 2010 the Arboretum Foundation designed this winter garden in homage to the renowned Witt Winter Garden at the Washington Park Arboretum.
Tickets are now on sale. You can purchase them online, by phone at 206-325-4510, or over the counter in the Arboretum Shop (open daily, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.).
Don’t miss this wonderful evening, to be held at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle. Even better, book a hotel room for Tuesday evening and you’ll be right on hand when the show opens at 9 am the following morning. (Think of what a lovely Valentine’s gift this would make for your gardening sweetheart!) ~ Janet
Make Connections at the Garden Resource Center
The show's Garden Resource Center is the place to connect with fellow gardeners that share the same interests as you.
The Northwest Flower & Garden Show has long dedicated space in the show to nonprofit organizations that support and strengthen the gardening community around us. Our 2012 show will feature 34 such exhibitor booths in our Garden Resource Center. It’s the place to meet fellow gardeners who share the same interests as you – whether it’s roses, Iris, ferns, daylilies, garden clubs, supporting regional botanical gardens, or even learning stone sculpting.
Look for the Garden Resource Center in Rows 2300, 2400 and 2500 and 2800 in the North Hall (or, after you meander through the show gardens and cross the sky bridge into the North Hall, turn to your left). It’s a wonderful way to check out the many benefits of joining a location organization, see what they each have to offer, and discover which organizations share your interests and passions.
The Northwest is rich with fine organizations devoted to plants and gardening, and a haven for plant collectors!
If you’re a novice gardener looking for camaraderie as well as horticulture information from certified plant geeks, look no further than the many organizations that provide a wealth of great gardening knowledge in fun and friendly style. Many will be at the show, ready to answer your questions about membership. The Hardy Plant Society of Washington, North American Rock Garden Society, Northwest Horticultural Society, Northwest Perennial Alliance, Pacific Horticulture Society, Plant Amnesty, Washington Native Plant Society, and the Washington State Federation of Garden Clubs will all be hanging their banners at the show.
Botanical gardens such as the Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island offer a calming respite to visitors and preserve our regional gardening heritage.
Many of these organizations offer lectures as well as workshops, newsletters, magazines, garden tours, websites and symposiums with renowned speakers. And of course fundraisers, but supporting these organizations is a big part of the reward, and besides, most of them fundraise with plant sales. What could be better than a good excuse to buy plants?
The Pacific Northwest is blessed with having many historic botanical gardens, and there will be exhibit booths in the Garden Resource Center in support of these regional treasures. Look for booths sponsored by the Bellevue Botanical Garden Society, Chase Garden, Soos Creek Botanical Garden, Friends of the Conservatory, Kruckeberg Botanic Garden, Dunn Gardens, Kubota Garden Foundation, Lake Wilderness Arboretum, Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden, The Bloedel Reserve, and the University of Washington Botanic Gardens. When you become a member of these nonprofit organizations supporting these historic gardens, you are helping to secure their future for generations to come.
Organizations devoted to particular kinds of plants - such as ferns - abound here in the Northwest.
If you are an aficionado of certain kinds of plants, there is sure to be an association you can join – American Bamboo Society, Hardy Fern Foundation, King County Iris Society, Northwest Orchid Society, Puget Sound Dahlia Association, Puget Sound Daylily Club, Seattle Rose Society, Seattle Fruit Tree Society, Sequim Lavender Growers Association and Western Washington Fruit Association will all have enthusiastic volunteers at the show. Talk to their knowledgeable members and find out what they have to offer, so you can learn more about growing your favorite plants. Joining a group where members share a common focus (some might say addiction) is always very rewarding.
If you are interested in a future career in horticulture, there will be some folks on hand who can answer your questions about the horticulture programs at local community colleges. Look for Edmonds Community College and Lake Washington Technical College, two outstanding programs in our vicinity.
You can pick up all kinds of free information in the Garden Resource Center, and talk to knowledgable volunteers.
Other organizations that will be represented include the Cascade Harvest Coalition, an organization devoted to local foods and farms; the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, which promotes natural yard care and native plants; the Northwest Stone Sculptors Association, demonstrating the art of sculpting on stone; the Specialty Nursery Association, which offers a guide to ninety Western Washington specialty nurseries; and the Washington State Nursery & Landscape Association (WSNLA), an organization for landscaping professionals. While there are many organizations representing the flora, we can’t forget the fauna – Bats Northwest, the Woodland Park Zoo and the National Wildlife Federation will also be at the show. – Janet
For Canadians – Fast, Easy Travel to the Garden Show
Gardening in beautiful British Columbia is awesome, and gardening afficianados and plant geeks make the annual trek to the Northwest Flower & Garden Show in droves. Hopefully next year’s show, February 8 – 12, 2012, will be snow-free! The Garden Show has a travel deal that will make the travel a breeze and is a terrific low-price too – saving you money so there’s more to go around at the show (we know plants are a priority).
This holiday season, why not give the gift of a memorable two-day experience at the show? Our Canadian bus tour is the perfect gift for all your garden-loving friends. Or take a train – we have group and individual Amtrak excursions as well.
We can accommodate groups as small as 10 all the way up to 100. Simply call 1-805-496-1251, or toll free 1-800-821-0339 to talk to the friendly folks at Group Travel Associates to make your reservations. They will customize the perfect package for you and your group, and for groups of 40 or more, they will arrange a luxury bus for your drive to Seattle.
For groups of less than 40 people, our Amtrak Train Package is the way to go! We’re hearing from many Master Gardener groups and Garden Clubs wanting to travel in a group. With the train, you can customize the days you want to depart and return, and the number of nights you want to spend. You leave from the Vancouver Pacific Central Station, and the ride to Seattle takes a little over 4 hours. For more information, call Group Travel 1-805-496-1251 or toll free at 1-800-821-0339.
If you’re traveling from Canada solo but don’t want to drive, we can also set you up with a bus or train package.
These are great packages for all your gardening friends! Just think – enjoy conversation and laughs the entire drive, with no driving stress or parking hassle. Receive discounts to fine dining in downtown Seattle, spend two nights in a fine 4-star hotel, and have plenty of room on the bus to store all the garden art, accessories, tools and plants that you purchase at the show. Garden show tickets are included in our package deals.
“A Floral Symphony” awaits you at the beautiful Northwest Flower & Garden Show, the second largest garden show in the U.S. In 2012 our 26 show gardens are based on musical themes or the sounds of nature, for a truly memorable display. Browse over 300 exhibitors – all related to the joy of gardening and outdoor living. And revel in the wit and wisdom of our renowned speakers. To top it off – FREE phytosanitary plant inspection, so your plant purchases will be approved to travel back home with you. It doesn’t get any easier than this.
With 116 seminars to choose from, you are sure to find plenty of seminars for your entertainment and education, including 30 seminars on edible gardening. Look for BC’s Andrea Bellamy’s seminar on “Gourmet Gardening” on Wednesday, February 8. Then after your whirlwind of garden show activity you don’t have to face an exhausting drive home. You can relax as you are transported home to Vancouver, BC, filled with inspiration and ready to enjoy all your new garden treasures.
We also have bus tours from Portland for Oregon groups, so contact Group Travel Associates if you would like transportation heading north.
Be sure to check out the seminar schedule, so you can catch all your favorite speakers and also check out the exhibitor list, to streamline your shopping at our 300+ exhibitors. They are all listed on our website. Oh, and one more thing – don’t forget your passport! – Janet
Here’s What’s Happening in September
Saturdays through September
9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Share Your Harvest
Molbak’s for Hopelink
Are you swimming in squash? Overdosing on onions? Bubbling over with blueberries? Tons of tomatoes (we wish…)? Share your harvest with the Hopelink food banks by dropping it off at Molbak’s, every Saturday in September. Here’s what to donate: Veggies: beans, cabbage, carrots, chard, garlic, green beans, lettuce, peas, squash, sweet peppers, tomatoes and more. Fruits: blueberries, cherries, figs, grapes, kiwis, raspberries, plums (no apples or oranges please). Herbs: All kinds.
Molbak’s
13625 NE 175th St., Woodinville, WA 98072
Visit their website or call 425-483-5000.
Saturday, September 10
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Seattle Tilth’s Harvest Fair 2011
Celebrate Harvest Season! Participate in this fun, lively hands-on event with educational activities, workshops, demonstrations and activities for all ages. Eat tasty food and enjoy live music with friends and family. Stock up on farm fresh organic produce. Harvest season is a time to celebrate! Urban Livestock! You definitely don’t want to miss our urban livestock demonstration. Meet local chickens, friendly goats and honey bees and ask their owners what it takes to produce eggs, milk and honey. Free.
Seattle Tilth
Meridian Park – behind Good Shepherd Center
4649 Sunnyside Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98103
Visit their website or call 206-633-0451.
Wednesday, September 14
6:30 pm Dinner
7:00 pm Bingo begins
Tree Hugger Bingo & Chile Feed!
Join the irrepressible Ciscoe Morris, Cass Turnbull and the wacky folks at Plant Amnesty for their annual Tree Hugger Bingo & Chile Feed. Play for choice plants and horticultural prizes – no bingo experience required to eat chile and win! (Seriously – I played last year and won an awesome conifer.) Must be 18 years or older to participate. NEW LOCATION at Shilshole Bay Beach Club to accommodate all the passionate bingo players. Plenty of free parking.
$25 per person, or $125 to reserve a table of 6
Plant Amnesty
NEW LOCATION!
Shilshole Bay Beach Club
6413 Seaview Ave. NW, Seattle, WA 98107
Visit their website for more information or call 206-783-9813.
Thursday, September 15
7:00 pm
Lecture: “Parks, Plants & People”
Lynden B. Miller
Annual Elizabeth C. Miller Memorial Lecture
Lynden B. Miller is a public garden designer in New York City and director of The Conservatory Garden in Central Park, which she rescued and restored beginning in 1982. Her work includes gardens for The Central Park Zoo, Bryant Park, The New York Botanical Garden, Madison Square Park, Hudson River Park and Wagner Park in Battery Park City as well as many smaller projects in all five boroughs and beyond as well as several university campuses. For almost 30 years, Mrs. Miller has focused on her belief that public open spaces with good well-maintained plantings can change city life. She has taken an entirely new approach to public horticulture by creating rich plantings that provide four seasons of interest for New Yorkers. Her award-winning book, Parks, Plants, and People: Beautifying the Urban Landscape is inspirational and instructive about all aspects of creating and supporting beautiful public space. Free.
The Pendleton & Elisabeth C. Miller Charitable Foundation and
the Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden
Meany Hall for the Performing Arts
University of Washington
3901 University Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105
To be placed on the reservation list email info@MillerGarden.org.
Visit their website for more information.
Friday, September 16
12:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Saturday, September 17
9:00 am -2:00 pm
2011 NHS Fall Plant Sale
The annual fall plant sale will once again present dozens of specialty growers and nurseries representing the best of the Puget Sound region – in a NEW LOCATION. Since fall can be one of the most opportune times to plant in the Pacific Northwest, this is a fantastic opportunity to find a wide assortment of choice plant material all in one spot, from some of the best wholesale and specialty nurseries in the region. Come on down and say Hi! I’ll be roving around the area with a big cart to help you with holding your purchases. Free and open to the public.
Northwest Horticultural Society
NEW LOCATION!
North Seattle Community College Cafeteria
9600 College Way N., Seattle, WA 98103
Visit their website or phone 206-780-8172 or email at nwhort@aol.com
Saturday, September 17
10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Summer Sidewalk Sale
Seattle Design District Association
Benefitting Seattle Children’s PlayGarden
The Seattle Design District Association is hosting a Summer Sidewalk Sale, and a portion of the proceeds support the Seattle Children’s PlayGarden. You’ll find DEALS on furniture, collectables, accessories, exterior items, and more! Plus food, entertainment and fun projects for children. The Seattle Children’s PlayGarden will be giving a sneak preview of some of the activities in the incredible garden and play area they will be creating for the 2012 Northwest Flower & Garden Show – great fun for kids of all ages. Free.
Location: Corner of 6th & Orcas Street (Georgetown area), Seattle
Visit their website or Facebook page page for more information.
Monday, September 19
6:30 pm – 9:00 pm
“Garden Delights – Pteridophytes”
Judith Jones
Join Judith Jones, one of the leading experts on Pteridophytes (otherwise known as ferns) as she shares some of her favorite ferns for sun and shade. Judith’s talk will focus on less commercially known ferns and how to use them in the garden and in containers. Ferns are perfect for shady Northwest gardens and nobody knows ferns like Judith!
Hardy Plant Society of WA
Center for Urban Horticulture
3501 NE 41st Street, Seattle
Visit their website for more information.
Friday, September 23
5:30 pm
“Alice in Gardenland”
2011 Gala Auction
The event of the season – cocktails, silent auction, dinner and live auction with famed auctioneer John Curley and his trusted sidekick, Jim Dever, from “Evening Magazine” fame. This event is created by gardeners for gardeners, so you know there will be loads of auction items you will covet for your own garden.
Bellevue Botanical Garden Society
Tickets: $110 per person
Harbor Club
777 108th Ave. NE, Bellevue, WA 98004
Visit their website for more information, a list of the fabulous auction items and to purchase tickets.
Saturday, September 24
Sunday, September 25
10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Chase Garden Fall Plant Sale
Sale of fall-blooming cyclamen, dwarf shrubs and groundcovers, perennials. Bare root native perennials – the perfect time to transplant and establish for spring. Special selections from several invited vendors. Free admission to the garden for self-guided tours.
Chase Garden
16015 264th St. E., Orting, WA 98360
Visit their website or call 360-893-6739.
Friday, September 30
Saturday, October 1
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Succulent Gardens Extravaganza 2011
This two-day event will celebrate succulents in all their diversity and fabulousness, and will feature a stellar array of guest speakers. And of course there will be food, music, hands-on activities and prizes, as well as meetups, tweetups and reunions of all kinds. Extravaganza 2011 Speakers: Brian Kemble, Curator of the Ruth Bancroft garden; Randy Baldwin, partner, general manager and horticulturist at San Marcos Growers; Debra Lee Baldwin, author of two best-selling books on succulent design; Jarrod Bauman, designer with Zeterre Landscape Architecture; Davis Dalbok, designer with Living Green; Jeffrey Gordon Smith, landscape architect; David Jessup, designer and hypertufa artist; and Robin Stockwell, your host and owner of Succulent Gardens Nursery. (If you love succulents, but can’t make it to California for this event, we’ll have some great seminars at the 2012 show on growing and using succulents!)
Succulent Gardens Nursery: The Growing Grounds
2133 Elkhorn Road, Castroville, CA (minutes off scenic Hwy 1 at Moss Landing)
Visit their website for more information.
PLAN AHEAD
Saturday, October 1
5:00 pm
New Starts 9th Annual Gala & Auction
Benefitting Seattle Youth Garden Works
Join Seattle Tilth in celebrating the successful return of Seattle Youth Garden Works! Seattle Youth Garden Works empowers homeless and underserved youth, ages 14-21, through garden-based education and employment. Youth gain gardening knowledge, business expertise and job readiness skills while earning wages. Through one-on-one mentorship we help youth stabilize their housing, secure future employment, and achieve and maintain a healthier lifestyle. Your support through the New Starts Green Gala & Auction will go directly toward helping these youth. Enjoy a delightful meal presented by Pyramid Catering with fresh, local, organic ingredients from Organically Grown. You will have the opportunity to choose from an impressive selection of exciting auction items including regional tours, a boat cruise, celebrity events, remodeling services, spa days, sushi classes, elegant restaurant packages and more. Evening includes silent auction, drinks & hors d’oeuvres, dinner, live auction & dessert dash. Festive attire.
Tickets: $75 (early registration until September 9); $80 regular registration until September 23.
Seattle Tilth
Mountaineers Club
7700 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle WA 98115
Visit their website for more information or call 206-633-0451
Wednesday, October 12
11:30 am-1:00 pm
Seattle Children’s PlayGarden
Give & Grow Luncheon!
To ensure that as many supporters as possible can attend our most important fundraiser of the year, we have a new location for our Give & Grow Luncheon at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seattle. We hope you will join us to learn how your support will enhance the lives of children with special needs in our community. Consider being a Table Captain and/or Sponsor of the luncheon! The luncheon is free; donations will be requested. The Seattle Children’s PlayGarden designed and built a wonderful children’s area at our 2011 garden show, thanks to the generous sponsorship by U.S. Bank.
Seattle Children’s PlayGarden
The Four Seasons Hotel
99 Union Street, Seattle, WA 98101
Visit their website for more information or call 206-227-5458 or email liz@childrensplaygarden.org.
These are just a few of the fun events happening in September as the so-called ‘summer’ in Seattle wanes and the leaves start to turn. It’s time for harvesting, planting and eeking out the last bits of sunshine before the inevitable leaf raking begins. And mark your calendars for February 8 – 12, 2012, because it’s only 161 days until the next Northwest Flower & Garden Show and it is shaping up to an event you won’t want to miss! ~ Janet
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