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2008 SPRING CLASSES
Reservations Necessary: Email
nwhort@aol.com or
Call Karin Kravitz (206) 780-8172 .
Click here to read reviews of past
classes
Tuesday, May 20, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
STREETSIDE GARDENS WITH CINDY COMBS
CLASS CANCELLED
The popularity of converting parking strips into gardens is evident throughout the Puget Sound area. Yet, many beginning gardeners are baffled by the design and care challenges posed by this difficult space. In this class, Cindy Combs will present both a slide show and a tour of her streetside garden. Key points will include the importance of preparation, designing for four-season good looks and functionality. Cindy was featured in a story on this topic in the July/August 2007 issue of Garden Gate magazine.
LOCATION: COMBS GARDEN/SEATTLE
Fee: Members: $25.00 Non-members: $35.00 Limit: 8
Thursday, May 22, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
SUMMER CONTAINERS WITH GARY WALLER
Gary Waller, former head floral designer for Molbak's, is known for his sensational containers. This is your opportunity to work with him as you create your own dramatic container. You will leave with a planted container to enjoy all summer in your own garden. (Container, plants and soil will be provided.) Bring a brown bag lunch and stay and enjoy the farm and nursery.
LOCATION: OLD GOAT FARM/ORTING
Fee: Members: $55.00 Non-members: $75.00 Limit: 15
Tuesday, June 10, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
FERN STUMPERY WITH MARTIN RICKARD, SUE OLSEN AND RICHIE STEFFEN
Don't all ferns look alike!!! Join British fern expert Martin Rickard and explore the Victorian craze for ferns and stumperies in the stumpery he created on Vashon. Learn the differences between fern genera with our own celebrated author and fern expert Sue Olsen. See what great plant companions ferns can make in the garden with Hardy Fern Foundation president Richie Steffen.
LOCATION: RIEHL STUMPERY/VASHON
Fee: Members: $65.00 Non-members: $90.00 Limit: 45
Thursday, June 26, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
DRY SHADE WITH RICHIE STEFFEN SOLD OUT
One of the toughest locations to plant is dry shade. Join Richie Steffen, curator of the Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden, on a tour through the garden looking at plantings growing in this difficult situation. He will share some techniques and plant choices to improve your chances of success and make these dark spaces an asset to the garden.
LOCATION: MILLER BOTANICAL GARDEN/THE HIGHLANDS, SEATTLE
Fee: Members: $25.00 Non-members: $35.00 Limit: 15
Thursday, June 26, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
DRY SHADE WITH RICHIE STEFFEN
One of the toughest locations to plant is dry shade. Join Richie Steffen, curator of the Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden, on a tour through the garden looking at plantings growing in this difficult situation. He will share some techniques and plant choices to improve your chances of success and make these dark spaces an asset to the garden.
LOCATION: MILLER BOTANICAL GARDEN/THE HIGHLANDS, SEATTLE
Fee: Members: $25.00 Non-members: $35.00 Limit: 15
2008
January 12, 2008
GARDEN WRITING WITH STEVE LORTON
by Suzanne Ferris
Fifteen NHS members met with Steve Lorton at Alison Andrews' home in the Highlands. Her garden and its surrounding forest and beach provided inspiration for us to write using the tools Steve taught us. He told us that much horticultural writing about the garden falls into three categories: articles about a particular species of plant; a particular garden; or person associated with that garden. Other topics included knowing your audience, discovering your true voice, and knowing how to structure your topic. We shared some of our favorite excerpts from gardening magazines as well as responded to each other's efforts. Some of the participants curate or manage large public gardens; some of us are private designers, but all felt that good writing skills help us promote our various causes. A special thanks to Alison for her hospitality! We tasted the most delightful chocolate cookies, enjoyed the five grandfather clocks chiming noon as we departed from this two hour writing workshop. Alison Andrews' terraced garden with its view of the Olympics and her collection of landscape paintings provided us with the perfect setting for creative writing. Steve has edited for Sunset Magazine and other publications, and will be teaching another garden writing workshop at Edmonds Community College this spring. Don't miss it!
February 5, 2008
SMALL GARDEN DESIGN WITH GLENN WITHEY & CHARLES PRICE
by Kathy Yerke
Charles Price and Glenn Withey, curators of the Dunn Garden in Seattle, included NWH members in the challenge of re-landscaping a single-story, 1940’s home with lots of potential for design improvements. What to do with little curb appeal, dated concrete porches and pathways, small outdoors spaces, and neighboring eye-sores?
With the help of our knowledgeable instructors and their step-by-step handout, this daunting task was tackled by each student as Charles and Glenn assured us there was no exact science to the process. We were given numerous photos of the sight, a bird’s eye view of the exact dimensions, proper pencils, and lots of tracing paper.
After breaking for lunch, it was obvious the majority cried “Uncle!”, and our design experts explained some of the improvements they felt necessary. Emphasis was placed on the importance of hardscape when thinking about design, and they talked extensively on different paving materials, esthetics, and safety issues. We were entertained by some of our instructors past experiences with difficult clients and contractors, followed by a period of questions and answers.
Before you knew it only a few minutes remained. Charles graciously escorted us around the grounds of the Dunn Gardens, pointing out elements of design and the newly emerging Snowdrops, Hellebores and Cyclamen – a perfect ending to an entertaining and worthwhile class.
MARCH 27, 2008
AN INTRODUCTION TO BOTANICAL LATIN WITH DANIEL SPARLER
by Jackie White
Have you ever struggled to correctly pronounce the botanical name for your favorite plant? Well, the cold snowy day of March 27th Daniel not only introduced his eager students to this vast subject of botanical Latin but he made it clear how botanical Latin was far more than just Latin. And, It became quickly apparent that today’s class was just the very beginning of this enormous and complex subject. We were in for a treat as Daniel briefly guided us through the history of taxonomy followed by a short synopsis of how plants are named. Much of the class was spent on pronunciation. The vowel sounds of Latin were practiced and discussion was had on Academic Latin vs. English Latin. A wonderful slide show of plants was presented with each picture having the botanical name, the meaning of each element of the name, and the language origin. A thorough handout, listing resources for further exploration of botanical Latin was provided for every student. Upon completion of the class, Daniel invited us all to tour his artistic garden and home and his neighbor and NHS member, Delores Ranhofer, treated us to delectable refreshments.
Thank you Daniel, for not only sharing your knowledge so expertly and opening our minds to the discovery of botanical Latin but giving me hope with practice and perhaps time that I too can correctly pronounce the botanical name for any plant.
April 17, 2008
alpine containers with Richie Steffen
by Sue Braff
To begin our class on creating Alpine Containers, Richie Steffen, Special Collections Curator, led us out to the full-size Elizabeth Carey Miller Botanical Garden. There, under the mature Douglas fir and cedar, he used several intentional compositions of wood, stone and plant that he and Greg Graves, head gardener, have created in the garden. These illustrate the endless combinations of plant texture, size, and color with rocks and/or logs or downed branches that appear natural but are the result of deliberate techniques and choices. Along the way, being gardeners with access to a knowledgeable, experienced and humorous gardener, we had the luxury of answers to many plant identification questions, growing procedures and history.
When we looked at existing plantings in stone troughs, Richie pointed out the same classical principles of design in the miniature realm of alpine plants. Although most plants were the dwarf varieties, he showed us other plants that can combine well in stone troughs. The soil requirements are unusual and the handouts described several recipes for planting mixes that are used at the Miller Garden.
In a final tour de force, Richie created an alpine planting from scratch, demonstrating the artistry to which many of us aspire.
In addition to the informative lecture, sources for the hard-to-find plant species and schedules for upcoming horticultural events are the unexpected bonuses for such a class. I would recommend this beneficial NHS class without reservation.
2007
July 12, 2007
TOUR OF SNOHOMISH NURSERIES WITH MARK HENRY
by Melody Hooper
Taking my own advice—never miss a chance to visit Mark Henry’s garden—I signed up for NHS’s Tour of Snohomish Nurseries with Mark Henry. I’m glad I did.
Early on a Thursday morning—a perfect summer day sandwiched between those hot days in July and all the rainy ones that followed—NHS members entered Mark’s secret garden through a Gothic gate set into a large hedge. Charming rooms filled with clipped boxwoods, exuberantly planted containers, quirky artwork, and cozy sitting areas opened up to us, immediately setting the tone for a delightful day.
After admiring Mark’s garden, we piled into cars and headed to the first of four nurseries. Organizer Kate Poole kindly provided a truck to catch the plant overflow as we shopped, and boy was it needed. I did my part, making two purchases at our first stop: After paying for the first batch of plants, I spotted Mark carrying plants to the register I hadn’t seen; turned out I missed the greenhouse area Sunnyside Nursery owner had opened exclusively to NHS members. With the 5-minute exit warning already in place, I sprinted to the greenhouse, grabbed everything I’d seen in Mark’s hands, and ran back to the register.
We had just as much fun at Machias Nursery—buying plants, comparing experiences, admiring each other’s finds—before returning to Mark’s garden for lunch and more conversation. Stomachs full, we headed back out to the final two nurseries: Swan’s Trail Nursery, and McAuliffe Valley Nursery.
I live in Woodinville, but I had not been to three of these nurseries before—they are all worth a visit. Thanks, Mark, for sharing these finds with us.
And, remember, if you ever get a chance to visit Mark Henry’s garden, snap it up.
June 20, 2007
REVIVE, REPLACE, INVIGORATE WITH RICHIE STEFFEN
by Jean Hanson
This was probably the most useful NHS class I’ve taken.
Richie began with an overview of the elements of design as well as layers (groundcovers, mid- [visual-] level, and low, mid- and high canopy), then led us into the gardens for a discussion of specific areas. Overall visual elements included extensive use of rock and wood (including fallen branches and logs) along pathways to draw the eye and lead you along, as well in beds to accent plant material.
He talked about the planning necessary when removing a too-large plant, suggesting acquiring and growing on the new shrub a year or two before replacement so its size is more in balance with the rest of the bed. He suggested that winterkill or dieback could be an opportunity to consider a redesign rather than simply replacing the lost plant. He also talked about the 3-5 year process of renovation or reviving a garden, from removals, hardscape and prominent plant placement in the first year to evaluation and filling gaps in successive years.
Richie also discussed deciding which season(s) the bed or yard needs to look fabulous. When do your visitors see the yard, when do you spend time in particular parts of the garden, and when is a bed really never seen? At the Miller Garden, the main focus is on summer, when most visitors see it. Also consider “off season” for plants – when you cut back for a second flush of growth, what does the bed look like while waiting for that second flush? The Miller Garden’s evergreen to deciduous ratio includes about 50-75% evergreen, which gives the gardens focus and structural elements throughout the year.
The process of design is ongoing, with beds constantly being evaluated for repetition, plant performance and seasonal gaps.
I would take this class again!
May 30, 2007
BOTANICAL TOUR OF THE WOODLAND PARK ZOO
by Sue Nevler
For those who skipped this NHS class thinking “Ah, child’s play.”, you will rue the day you missed this one. Our expected tour guides were changed as we discovered the zoo staff members were on their own fieldtrip, but what an adventure we had. Allen Howard, the lead horticulturalist gave us a trip that was not lightweight. Our point of departure was the African savannah and as we admired foreign fauna (how can you not?) Allen laid out the zoo’s philosophy of planting tropical flora look-alikes to simulate the animals’ native habitats; Lonicera standishii, Eleagnus, Escallonias, Berberis. Sounds simple, but factor in climate, poisonous versus comestible, and view lines and we quickly realized the depth of research and intent that went into this varied and exciting planting (much credit to Sue Nicol’s tenure).
We traipsed through hot sun, ducked liana like vines, dodged viperous looking red thorned roses and drank in Allen’s deeply knowledgeable and enthusiastic discourse.
We gaped at Catalpa, Cladastris, Paulownia as flocks of kids were squealing wide eyed at the elephants. I’ve spent ten years chasing my boys through the zoo, and have always admired the animal inhabitants. My eyes were reopened to the grey green foliages of Australasia and the sweet fragrances that blew by the kookaburras. What a trip!
We replenished ourselves in the shade (thanks Nita Jo!) and then topped off our foray with a blissfully aromatic amble through the Rose Garden.
Don’t discount this local treasure next time!
May 2, 2007
HOT PLANTS WITH RICHIE STEFFEN
by Barbara Chilcote
As we gathered in the charming glass porch at the Miller Garden, a big gust of spring wind made all the windows shudder. No worries, we were there to learn about Hot plants and it was just the kind of day when Hot was wanted. What are the hot new botanical wonders that are just now hitting specialty markets? How do we find them? If we are lucky enough to find them, will they grow in our northwest gardens?
Richie provided the answers with knowledge and enthusiasm beginning with a spirited walk through the upper and lower gardens. In the garden we saw several varieties of Rodgersia, and their bronziness warmed us up along with their Hot varietal names: ‘Fireworks’, ‘Irish Bronze’ and ‘Rotlaub’. When the sun came out mid tour, we were able to see the light bouncing off Puget Sound and streaming through the delicious red veins of ornamental rhubarb ‘Manchurian Fans’. Hot.
We ended our tour on the porch where Richie showed us all the glamorous Hot young stuff in pots, provided us with a list of all their names, and a list of plant sources. There was Magnolia dianica, a shrub with a gorgeous oval leaf and creamy lemon scented blooms; a Menziesia ciliicalyx with a blue leaf, small purple bell flowers, and beautiful deciduous fall color; and a variegated Acanthus mollis ‘Tasmanian Angel’ that seems like it would give off a lovely glow in a woodland. All of these treasures are available from various specialty nurseries. But even if you can find them and your budget is unlimited, these babies will fly out the door fast because they are Hot, Hot Hot!
April 5, 2007
SPRING EPHEMERALS WITH GREG GRAVES
by Linda Stangeland
Erythronium hendersonii, Trillium sessile, Arum dioscoridis, Epimedium sagittatum, Podophyllum pleianthum, Cardamine enneaphylla, Cyclamen hederifolium, Arisarum proboscideum, Petasites frigidus var. palmatus… This was just one of many spring ephemeral tapestries enjoyed at the Miller Garden April 5th. The weather cooperated: it was clear and sunny as we strolled the paths of the property working our way from top to bottom through its diverse planting areas.
Sun dappled NW woodlands, areas of deeper and lighter shade, open sunny areas next to mown lawn, a steep, sunny gravel mulched slope, the Malus sargentii bed of purples and greens… Are images coming to mind? So imagine then all those different areas covered in spring’s glory and realize that all of us who were there received a 7-page handout of the plants and plant combinations we were touring through. Yahoo! (I don’t know about you, but a plant list always helps anchor the picture in my mind’s eye.) Commentary on the plants, their merits, care, and culture was non-stop. Greg Graves shared his wealth of practical hands-on gardening knowledge and garden history freely. Thank you, Greg.
Ephemeral, by definition, is something lasting a very short time. Something transitory or short lived. More specifically, Greg explained, “ spring ephemerals are those plants that appear in early spring and disappear back into dormancy by mid to late summer.” Truly, all of the Miller Garden was filled with these beauties. Layers and layers of plants, woven in and through all that was winter. It is winter no more! Spring has definitely sprung.
We ended our tour back up the hill at the stone landing, in what was now very warm sunshine. Our group was really chatty. All seemed happy and inspired by what we had just seen. And if that wasn’t enough, Richie Steffen was there with Paeonia veichii ‘Alba’ seedlings for each and every one of us. Thanks to all who organized such a lovely and educational event.
March 13, 2007
SUCCULENTS WITH PETER GAMMARANO
by Mary Palmer
Those fortunate enough to have attended ‘Succulents with Peter Gammerano’ met an exceptional individual. Peter lives life with gusto and has roamed the world in pursuit of the sharp and prickly. Peter began the class by showing us a few winter hardy Agaves and cactus that had survived in the ground with no overhead protection. They had obviously prospered, as healthy pups had developed. Of course sharp drainage is a prime consideration when positioning these foreigners in our wet and cold NW winters. Although some are extremely cold hardy all bets are off if drainage is inadequate.
Upon entering Peter’s house, we were dazzled by staggering quantities of heat and sun loving treasures. Most were perched on narrow shelves of a two story glass walled sunroom. Exquisite botanical drawings of succulents and cactus from around the world decorated the walls. His prize painting was of a Euphorbia he discovered in Namibia which now bears his name Euphorbia gammaranii ‘G. Williamson’, a delight for any plant collector! We soon settled down and Peter shared a wealth of information on cultural conditions and potting mediums as well as favored products for pest control and fertilization. Peter’s unpretentious knowledge and enthusiasm for his subject was well received. We will look forward to seeing him at Sky Nursery’s exotic plant sale the weekend after Labor Day!
February 28, 2007
GARDENING WRITING WITH PHIL WOOD
by Tiia-Mai Barrett
Scribing Our Gardeing Muse
On a snowy February morning several NWH members sharpened our garden writing skills under the tutorship of Phil Wood. Our mentor, Phil Wood, is a Landscape Architect winning gold metals and many awards for his designs as well as his displays at the NW Flower and Garden Show. He is a regular garden writer for the Seattle Times as well being published in many noteworthy horticultural magazines.
We cultivated words and added muscles to our verbs. We learned that great writing is like great architectural design – define your focal points - know what to prune - and what to weed. Great design has structure and form; we learned some of the technical aspect of the artfully designed page.
Inspired by the beautiful architecture of a 1920’s in a home in the Highlands with sweeping views of the Puget Sound “moon gated” by trees of character and age. When class ended (being gardeners at heart) we toured the gardens as the snow let up. The gardens influenced by decades of premier designers from Olmsted to the modern greats. The plant combinations might very well encourage some of our own garden ideas. After all excellent design as well as excellent writing, awards us with beautiful memories.
February 8, 2007
DEMYSTIFING BOTANIC LATIN
by Robin Maass
On an early February day mild enough to make a hopeful gardener believe spring might actually come, a group of NHS members gathered at Daniel Sparler’s home near Seward Park for an introduction to Botanical Latin. Daniel provided a brief introduction to this complex subject, from its beginnings with Thomas Browne and Carolus Linnaeus up to modern times with the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature. We grappled with linguistic concepts of gender, categories of names for both genera and species, and the vexed subject of pronunciation. Turns out there are 3 systems of pronunciation, so no wonder we’re all confused! Daniel helped us sort out his preferred system (classical) and reviewed some pronunciation guidelines. We enjoyed a slide show of various plants and how they either fit or were the exception to the naming (and pronunciation) guidelines. We also enjoyed some time in Daniel’s playful and original garden, where he pointed out some early spring highlights.
After that, we repaired to Lee Neff’s nearby home for tea and homemade treats, and a tour of her much-loved garden. She told us that our gathering was the last party to be held at her home, as she and her husband are in the process of moving house (and parts of the garden too) to Kingston. Altogether, it was a very enlightening and enjoyable afternoon.
January 30, 2007
OUTDOOR LIGHTING
by Joyce Hawkins
Can you picture this? On an absolutely clear evening, we were standing on the second- story deck of a lovely older Medina home, looking down at exquisitely lighted focal points tastefully placed throughout the garden. Helping out with the ambience was additional soft lighting from a gorgeous full moon and sparkling stars. It was the perfect setting for our recent Landscape Lighting class, and enjoying this perfect winter evening with fellow gardeners was well worth the price alone!
Upon arrival, we were greeted by hosts Maryann and Charles Pember and treated to hot chicken soup, crackers and Cougar Gold cheese. The class instructor was a veteran in his field, having installed around 1,000 lighting systems. As an additional resource for technical questions, he brought along another expert from a Woodinville lighting, irrigation and pond equipment business. All attendees were given a folder containing detailed material covering design concepts, technical guidelines, voltage drop charts, and just about everything the do-it-yourself installer needed to know. For those who would prefer professional help, there was a list of landscaping lighting installers.
One of my fellow classmates said she was not a NHS member but had heard about the class and found the class was filled when she tried to register last year. She said she had been consistently watching the NHS Home Page for the notice of this year’s class. Need I say more?
October 25, 2006
ORNAMENTAL GRASSES WITH RICHIE STEFFEN
by Tam Crocker
When I signed up for the Grass Class, I expected someone to talk
about grasses and I would use my grass book, making notes where
applicable. Well, this was not the case.
Richie took us all around the Miller Garden looking at the grasses
planted. He provided us with a list of grasses planted in the garden
so we could make notes as we discussed their culture, how well the
plant was doing, plus what it looks like in the Fall. What a great
privilege and learning opportunity! Hope this class can be repeated
next year for others.
September 27, 2006
THE SUSTAINABLE GARDEN
by Sue Dickson
When I signed up for Stacie Crooks’ Sustainable Garden class I had
no idea that it was the garden that would be featured on the cover of
Fine Gardening (Nov/Dec 2006) and given and 8-page spread in
Horticulture (Sept 2006). Coming from a graphics design background
she transformed her front .5 acre lawn into a colorful garden tapestry
just 4 years ago and sustains it with drenching water only when it
hits 87 deg. She does get a little help with marine influenced thick
dews that come when the evenings start to get cooler. But most of her
success seems to come from her soil preparation and her choice of
tough, proven plants that can take the steady sun and heat of her west
facing slope.
It was a beautiful day to take in the garden.
Stacie started with a history of the garden, illustrated with her
notebook of ‘before’ ‘during’ and ‘after’ pictures of demolition and
planting and then took us on a lovely tour, pointing out special color
effects and combinations that support the evergreen bones of the
garden. She wrapped up with a question-answer session on her back
patio and shared her thoughts on a table-full of books that have
influenced and inspired her plant choices.
September 19, 2006
CELEBRATING THE VEGETABLE IN TABLESCAPES WITH PAT RIEHL
by
Joyce Hawkins
If this
didn’t grab your attention, it should have! When we arrived, we were
treated to delicious liquid refreshments (I loved the Dragon Pearl
tea) and assorted goodies. Then we sat around Pat’s table, and looked
and listened in awe as she quickly brought on various bowls and
containers, filled them with common fruits, vegetables, and
flowers...and voila...one masterpiece after another. Even the
surroundings were a treat-- a home filled with fabulous art, an
exquisite garden, and a very multi-talented instructor. As we
reluctantly said farewell, our minds were filled with creative ideas
about what WE could do with our fruit and vegetables at home. If this
class comes around again, don’t miss it!
August 3, 2006
CREATING REBAR SUPPORTS WITH JANE LYMAN
by Mary Palmer
Thursday August 3 a small but diverse group of ladies met
in the phenomenal garden of Joanne White where Diane Lyman, gardener
extraordinaire and class instructor, introduced us to the fun
and easy world of rebar bending. Before the class began, we were
given a brief tour to view the multiple uses for rebar supports
throughout the garden, be it for Dahlias, holding back the vigorous
growth of perennials or getting Clematis heading in the right
direction. Class soon began and Diane's relaxed and at ease style
made it look easy, and indeed, the first person to step forward and
give it a try quickly shaped an ordinary six foot length of rebar
into functional garden art. One by one we took turns using the
special tool mounted on a 4 x 4 post to fashion loop de loops,
curls and swirls and zigs and zags, there were no mistakes!. Each
student was able to create two to three finished pieces for their
own gardens. After class we gathered on the deck and enjoyed our
sack lunches basking in the splendor of Joanne's garden. Much of
Joanne's lush (kick ass*) garden surrounds three ponds fed by pure
and abundant artesian spring water spilling from a small waterfall
The garden has been appropriately named 'Water World'. It is
well worth taking any class offered there if for no other reason
than to gaze upon this great garden!
CEMENT LEAF-CASTING
USING VEGETABLE LEAVES
by Pat Riehl
Energy and Enthusiasm would be two words to describe Joyce and
Lois' class
on making concrete leaves. It was clear to everyone that both these
women
had had a great time experimenting with concrete.
They each demonstrated their own technique for making leaves. In the
process
they told us some of the pitfalls to avoid when we did ours. There
were
examples of leaves they had made in the past and how they decorated
them.
Each of us were able to make at least two leaves. Joyce and Lois
really
wanted us to be able to take home at least one. So they built wood
frames in
which we formed the leaves. That way we were able to take them with us
even
though the concrete had not set.
Making the leaves was easy the hard part was mixing the concrete. That
was
made much easier by Lois' pink concrete mixer! We used a lot of
concrete.
Then after a brown bag lunch and Lois' fruit cobbler we made and
decorated
concrete stepping stones.
Yes, it was a bit of a trip to Tenino but worth it. I had a great
time.
Thank you Joyce and Lois.
May 25, 2006
SUMMER CONTAINERS
WITH GREG GRAVES
by Anne Hamlin
On May 25, 2006 we had an exceptional class on Container Gardening at
the Old Goat Farm taught by Greg Graves. Most of us were there for
the same reason; we needed help putting together our summer
containers. We learned about soil, fertilizer, water tips and most
importantly about putting together spectacular combinations of plants.
Our class included a pot, the soil for the pot and plants to fill it.
You could choose plants for shade or sun, but color decision was
important. Leaf color as well as flower color is to be considered and
white and yellow attract the eye in shade, at night and on cloudy days
while dark colors may tend to disappear in the same conditions.
Texture is also important and a variety of texture creates more
interest which is especially true in a monochromatic pot.
What fun we had and learned some important details in making our pots
more dramatic to the eye. We were treated to egg salad sandwiches made
from the eggs of Greg's chickens and enjoyed the beautiful
surroundings of the Old Goat Farm.
May 17, 2006
GARDENING ON A SLOPE
WITH RICHIE STEFFEN
by Martha Woodman
Wednesday, May 17, 2006 was a great sunny day for the participants
of the NHS class to see what “Gardening on a Slope” really means.
There at the Miller Botanical Garden Richie Stephan lectured and
demonstrated the art of planting in such challenging areas as alpine
rockeries, dry sunny slopes, and shaded natural terrain. All the
features of this sometimes challenging endeavor were considered: the
stability and grade of the slope, soil composition and drainage,
exposure and drought tolerance. In all examples, a variety of plants
provide not only a pleasing texture on many canopy levels, but a
variety of root structures as well, that help to hold the bank in
place! Besides the wealth of knowledge gleaned from Richie and the
Miller Garden staff, we will remember with fondness the stories we
learned about Betty Miller, and the experience of being in the rich
tapestry of her garden.
DEMYSTIFING BOTANIC LATIN WITH DANIEL SPARLER (SECOND CLASS)
by Karen Preuss
People automatically assume that because I'm the manager of the
Miller Library, I must know all there is to know about the
pronunciation of scientific plant names. Not so! Truth be told, my
staff runs circles around me. So I was excited to advance my education
by attending Daniel Sparler's class on Demystifying Botanical Latin.
I'm so glad I did! Daniel is a marvelous teacher. I kept thinking that
his high school students must love him ~ his passion for his subject
really shows. We had a great group in attendance; lot's of questions
and interaction. And while trying to learn a new language in an hour
makes some things murkier than before, others became crystal clear.
Where the accent falls in academic Latin for instance (putting an end
to all those debates on how to pronounce clematis, in my book!). And
while I still have much to learn, and lots of plant names I still
won't attempt to pronounce in public, this was a terrific introduction
that made me want to learn more. If NHS offers the class again, call
early to get your name in!
March 29, 2006
SPRING EPHEMERALS,
WITH GLENN WITHEY, CHARLES PRICE, GREG GRAVES & RICHIE STEFFEN
by Lisa Irwin
A blustery March 29th brought nearly two dozen avid
seekers of all things spring to this terrific “Meet the Experts” class
on the slopes of two of Seattle’s preeminent gardens. We started with
Glenn and Charles at the Dunn Gardens. After a brief intro by the pair
we divided into smaller groups for our garden tour. Glenn was a
fountain of information on making the most of the garden with the
spring ephemerals – those plants that appear in early spring and
disappear back into dormancy by mid to late summer. Dunn Gardens’
Erythronium revolutum (Fawn Lily), Narcissus ‘Surfside’,
and many specie trilliums were standouts for me. The course also
included companion plants, such as plants with ephemeral spring
foliage coloration (Acer palmatum ‘Orange Dream’ and specie
peonies), plants used as markers for delicate emergents like
Cyclamen coum marking the territory where trilliums and peonies
will emerge, and longer-lasting spring bloomers such as the
groundcover Hacquetia epipactis .
The afternoon was spent
at the Miller Garden, starting with a brown-bag lunch on the protected
porch by a much appreciated fire. I was in the group led by Greg, who
not only taught us about the myriad spring ephemerals of the Miller
Garden, but also graciously answered the many questions about other
plants of interest along the tour. Highlights of the Miller Garden
this early spring day were their massive collection of hepaticas (if
you can use the term “massive” to describe such diminutive beauty),
the many hardy Primula ‘Barnhaven Strain’ varieties,
Sanguinaria canadensis (Bloodroot) and all the wonderful blues:
Anemone nemorosa ‘Blue Eyes’, Pulmonaria longifolia,
Omphalodes verna, and Brunnera macrophylla.
What a fabulous class!
Let’s do this again next year. And Richie, could you turn your back
while I grab a hepatica?
March 9, 2006
DEMYSTIFING BOTANIC LATIN WITH DANIEL SPARLER
by Barbara Reisinger
On March 9, a group of enthusiastic NHS members gathered at the
Sparler residence in attempt to receive enlightenment upon the vast
topic of botanical Latin. Daniel began the class with a brief history
of taxonomy followed by a short synopsis of how plants are named. It
quickly became apparent that the tip of the iceberg of botanical Latin
would only briefly be touched today. The overwhelming and fervent
knowledge that Mr. Sparler demonstrated was impressive and mystifying.
With very little time into the class, botanical Latin proved itself
more than just Latin, but Greek as well. This truly gave a new meaning
to, “It’s just Greek to me!” Latin also challenged the class with its
gender characteristics. Much of the class was spent on pronunciation.
The vowel sounds of Latin were practiced and discussion was had on
Academic Latin vs. English Latin. A wonderful slide show of plants was
presented with each picture having the botanical name, the meaning of
each element of the name, and the language origin. A thorough handout,
listing resources for further exploration of botanical Latin was
provided for every student. Upon completion of the class, Lee Neff had
the students over for tea and a tour of her magical garden.
De-Mystifying Botanical Latin: Tracing the
Labyrinth of Truth was an excellent class that only gave the briefest
of introductions to this immense subject due to the limitations of
time. But then, one could study botanical Latin for their entire life
and still not have enough time to learn it all. Daniel Sparler was an
exceptional teacher, answering questions, patiently re-describing,
re-pronouncing, and encouraging the discovery of Botanical Latin.
Whether de-mystification occurred is open for debate, but education
filled the room that day.
February 1, 2006
GARDEN WRITING WITH DEBRA PRINZING
by Robin Maass
A baker’s dozen (or so) of aspiring authors gathered at Debra Prinzing’s
Seward Park home February 1st for the NHS
workshop “Garden Writing with Debra Prinzing.” In addition to spoiling
us with scones and doughnuts, Debra generously shared her experiences
as a professional garden writer. She offered encouraging critiques of
our attempts to write about the gardens we live in, love, and visit.
She also helped us think through our writing styles, i.e. are you a
planner (someone who outlines before writing) or a plunger (someone
who writes to figure out what they want to say)? Debra shared examples
of good garden writing, and outlined different types of garden writing
ranging from technical botanical writing, to how-to stories, to
personal essays or memoirs.
I
came away from this lovely morning in Debra’s garden-themed home
feeling inspired and encouraged to try and express some of my own
“green thoughts” on paper.
January 24, 2006
OUTDOOR LIGHTING WITH RUSS HAIRE
by Barbara Reisinger
On January 24th, a group of passionate gardeners met at the Pember
garden to brave a cold night to learn about outdoor lighting. The
evening began by having Russ Haire of Outdoor Lighting Perspectives
introduce the technical guidelines for garden lighting. One of the
very valuable lessons learned was how to keep each light as bright as
the first on the run of lights. Discussion was then had on why and
where to use the lighting: functionality, emphasis on a focal point,
and the overall feeling desired within the garden that can be achieved
with various lighting methods. A complete packet of information, that
included references for outdoor lighting ideas, was given to each
participant. After the presentation was completed, the group moved
into the garden. Different lighting effects were demonstrated by Russ
and a tour of the remaining garden was enjoyed by all. The Pembers
were gracious hosts and participants were inspired by outdoor
lighting’s capability to bring a new dimension to the garden.
MORNING AT THE FARM WITH MARI AND RON
JUNTUNEN
by Janet Patrick
Our June day in Mount Vernon at Juntunen Farm, a former dairy farm
and now home to Mauri and Rod Juntunen, was terrific. To see the
efforts of a young woman with a vision and the space and plant
material to carry out that vision was most fun to see. Mari has
created numerous garden rooms that are planted amongst walls of
hornbeam, espalier apples and pears, and evergreen plant material.
Because the garden is so large and you cannot see from one room to
another, each area has a name and a theme, so people can find one
another. The rose garden, the perennial garden, the white
garden, and the playfield are just some of the spaces. The
plants are healthy and strong due to the good soil of the Skagit River
Valley and the sunny site.
Rod utilizes the un-gardened portion of
the property as a growing operation for his landscape business.
Gardens and greenhouses surround a charming home and barn. This
garden is a must see!
ENGLISH BORDER STYLE
by Nita Jo Rountree
On June 8th, Rick Kyper held an NHS class on English garden design
in his garden. This garden is an overwhelming display of precise
textural contrasts and color combinations. Paintings created by
color combinations. Paintings created by artists with unlimited
paint color choices could not be more perfect.
Rick is a landscape designer who has long
been a dedicated student of color in general, but with particular
emphasis on Gertrude Jekyll's color schemes for flower gardens.
His dedication has paid off. Specific flower and foliage colors
flow from one to another in sequential harmony.
In an effort to further enhance his study
of color and plants, Rick has traveled to England where he made
connections with several renowned horticultural experts. They
provided him with seeds of many plant varieties not yet available in
this country. These plants now flourish in his garden.
Another of Rick's amazing achievements is
that he has created a garden on the opposite side of the street to
coordinate with his own. That property, owned by the city, is
approximately five feet deep before it dramatically slopes away for
about another 100 feet. Rick has actually lowered himself down
that slope on a rope to plant trees. It is unbelievable!
What a wonderful gift to the city and to those of us lucky enough to
feast our eyes on the results of his amazing talents.
THE COLLECTOR'S GARDEN WITH CISCOE
MORRIS
by Nita Jo Rountree
Radio and television personality, garden writer, and NHS board
member Ciscoe Morris led a lucky group of NHS members on a tour of his
lovely garden on May 17th. Most NHS classes fill rapidly, but
this one filled within a nanosecond of its appearance on the NHS Web
site. And with good reason. Ciscoe is a local favorite
because of his charisma, enthusiasm, and sense of humor, but another
side of Ciscoe is the breadth of his horticultural knowledge as well
as his passion for new and unusual plant material.
He was full of tips and jokes, and he
eagerly answered our gazillion and one questions. A few of his
recommendations: Constantly deadhead phormiums to keep them
looking their best. Dasylirions are winter hardy in the Seattle
area but not in the ground. He fertilizes with alfalfa meal, but
it must be worked into the soil.
The only missing element. We never
saw any Brussels sprouts. Did we miss something, Ciscoe!
THE TATTLE TALE GARDEN WITH CINDY COMBS
by Pat Riehl
Cindy was kind enough to do two sessions
of this class because the response was so great. Thank you,
Cindy!
The class was billed as though Cindy was
going to tell us all her mistakes, but I sure couldn't see any. She solved the problem of having year-round greenery by planting lots
of tough evergreens and ground covers, especially in the lawn-free front
yard. And she told us what she would not use again and why.
In the backyard Cindy and her husband have
constructed paths and retaining walls. Whimsy was in the
wonderful tool shed disguised as a bird's nest condo. Cindy
showed us how she keeps the sitting area in her gazebo free of needles
and leaf debris. The gazebo roof is covered with a layer of
window screen covered by a layer of twig fencing, easily found in the
local garden center.
The class ended with a chaperoned trip to
Magnolia Garden Center and concluded with a list of plant and building
material resources.
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