Seminars on Friday, February 8, 2013

Designing elements of your garden by discovering new uses for what you already have or what you find in the salvage yard reduces the garden's environmental impact, saves money, and — most importantly — is fun and creative. This new set of skills embraces the idea of finding an object first and letting the design plan follow. A master of using reclaimed items, expert Matthew Levesque covers the basics of hardscaping, garden construction, and outdoor decor using found and local materials.

Just as book reviewers receive review copies of various texts, so professional garden writers get plants that will be coming to market soon to trial in their own gardens. The reviews are now in. Mary-Kate Mackey shares a collection of plants that have flourished in her one-acre garden for the past several years. Get the dirt on which newcomers have excelled in our Pacific Northwest climate.

Native plantings don't have to look like we're punishing ourselves. More and more great plants native to our part of the world are available, whether for wildlife, bio-swales, or pure ambience and design. A discussion of native plants from the best to the new favs.

After several years in the pot, some plants need extra attention and renewal to keep looking their best. Nicole demonstrates the process of plant removal, basic root pruning, fresh soil exchange and re-potting of a mature container planting. This is an important step for long-term plant health and an easy process to learn; your containers will continue to thrive for many years afterwards!

Follow the tenants of Mother Nature's model in creating a three dimensional garden with continuous seasonal flow. Moving from the canopy to the ground plane with plants that are culturally compatible and site adaptable the garden becomes an expression of your personality and garden style. Inside a framework of good bones color comes to the fore in foliage, flower, bark and berry. Texture and form play their roles adding definition and drama.

Top ten (and a few bonus ones) herbs with diversity! Start with their beauty in the landscape and then discover ways to use them. Create culinary treats, body care products, and household remedies. Growing hints, landscape design ideas, and recipes included!

Vegetable gardening doesn't have to end in the fall in our mild maritime climate. With some planning and a few specialized techniques, you can be growing and eating food from your garden year-round. Learn when to plant fall and winter crops and figure out when they will mature. Soon you'll be harvesting crisp winter cabbages, amazingly sweet early-spring carrots, and so many fall greens and peas that you'll think it's spring again! Put your harvest on holiday dinner menus and say goodbye to the idea that you need to "put your vegetable garden to bed"for the winter.

Becky Sell, of Sedum Chick's, demonstrates how to build a living wreath with hardy sedum and sempervivum – from beginning to end!

One of the worlds' foremost plant explorers shares his picks for the best trees, shrubs and vines for inclusion in Pacific Northwest gardens. His experiences in the wild and as a home gardener reveal his passion for plants and for siting the right plants in the right place. In his personal gardens he has trialed and tested plants for their appropriateness for our region.

Small spaces are big opportunities for creating lively, colorful gardens. Explore special design considerations, questions of scale, soil needs and the many plant options for small gardens.

Highlighting great plants and smart ideas, Richie shows creative approaches to making an eye-catching shade garden. Using his own garden as inspiration and photos from other beautiful and creative regional gardens, he demonstrates what the obsessive collector can accomplish without much room.

Experience a demonstration on crafting arrangements made from beautiful textures from the woodland – branches, bark, seedpods, small fruits and vegetables, mosses and much more!

Maybe it is due to the recent extremes of weather or the sheer fatigue of keeping up with the plethora of hot new plant temptations but gardeners seem to have forgotten many reliable and rewarding old plant friends. For example, at one time, Hebes were popular evergreen shrubs. After a recent, exceptionally cold and snowy winter with many losses, Hebes quickly found their way on the "Do Not Buy" list. This is a shame, because there are many hardy Hebe forms that were unharmed by the winter. Maurice presents a variety of once-popular plants, and humorously speculates why they fell from favor and makes his case that they deserve a second look.

Style may be part fashion and part trend, but it is also part history. Learn how to evoke your own garden panache through using a little stylistic history to stretch your imagination.

Ever wonder what happens in a worm bin at night? How worm castings can you're your garden grow without chemical fertilizers or pesticides? How to solve the case of the missing carrot tops? This fun presentation reveals answers to these questions plus tips for turning food waste into the finest fertilizer on the planet. Get the skinny on bins, worm sources, bedding and feeding worms, harvesting and using worm compost. Free publications and other resources available for all participants.

Niki will show you how to construct a variety of different effects using a water bowl. Learn how to create a fully functioning miniature water garden with flowing water or even a beautiful tranquil water lily oasis. Come and be inspired by Niki's unusual designs.