May in the Gardens

And the Raffle Is Back

It's May already and time to think about our annual raffle. Tickets are still just $1 each and you get to pick which item or items you'd like to take a chance on. There will be plenty of opportunities to buy tickets throughout the summer. They're available for sale during our volunteer work parties, at Sorticulture, the June plant sale, July Family Fun Day, and Sculpture Walk.

"Arboretum in Bloom" Handmade quilt by Carol Lueneberg, friend of the Arboretum. 85" x 75". Value $400

Frost-proof pot, measuring 28" tall and 23" across. Donated by EA&G Board of Directors. Value $220

Enlighted Owl sculpture made from cast stone, pre-stained. Donated by Sunnyside Nursery. Value $220

Cedar Arbor handcrafted from local cedar. Measured 8' tall by 4' wide. Donated by Mukilteo Cedar and More. Value $450

Live Edge concrete bench. Bench top locks into two pedestals. 45" x 17". Donated by EA&G Board of Directors. Value $430.

Terrazza fountain from Henri Studio. Includes pump, connection kit and underwater LED lights. Donated by Sunnyside Nursery. Value $550.

Private consultation for 4 hours with Board member and local landscaping legend Emile Van den Akker. Value $300.

Estate concrete bird bath. Let your birds bathe in luxury in the 40" tall X 26" circular bath. Donated by Cameron Nichols at Greenman Stone. $400 value.

Backyard Forests: Saturday, May 18

Master Gardener David Pfeifle will do a presentation entitled "Backyard Forests" from noon to 1 p.m. in the classroom. Learn how to care for your trees and the natural areas of your land. 

May 18 is also our regularly scheduled volunteer work party. Help out in the Arboretum from 10 a.m. to noon and stay to learn about trees--and maybe buy raffle tickets.

A Busy Earth Month: Starting with Planting Geraniums

Parents and children showed up on Saturday, April 13, to help us plant cheerful orange geraniums in our entry bed. The kids who helped went home with gaultheria plants to put into their gardens at home.

These happy little guys brought their own gardening gloves.

This young man came in time to put the last geraniums in the bed.

When you're little, you just really need a snack after doing a little planting.

Supporting Pollinators

Before you start cleaning all the fall and winter debris out of your garden this spring, think about the value of what you leave behind to support pollinators in your garden. Those leaves you left on your beds last fall? Let some of them stay and watch the birds scratching around for insects.

Are you getting ready to head out to your local nursery in search of colorful flowers? Be sure to check out the helpful lists at Great Plant Picks. There's a list entitled Plants for a Better Planet and one called Pollinator Plants. And those are just two of the many helpful lists the knowledgeable staff of the Elisabeth Carey Miller Botanical Garden have put together to help gardeners in the Pacific Northwest choose the right plants for their particular conditions.

And Even More Volunteers Show Up in April--this time to weed and mulch

Thanks to the employees of Herc Rental for showing up on a cool, damp Wednesday in April to help weed and mulch.

New member and volunteer Tanis Costa cleans off the tools at the end of the work party.

Sheet mulching across the path from the Backyard Garden. Cardboard and mulch will smother the grass in this area.

Who Visited the Arboretum on April 20?

This Everett Community College instructor (on the left) brought his photography class to the Arboretum during our Saturday work party.

The Master Gardeners were also working in their perennial border while Arboretum volunteers continued weeding and mulching of the gardens.

Work Party Schedules

It's time to dig out your gardening gloves and tools. The weeds are back and so are our regular work parties. Dress for the weather and bring a water bottle.

Arboretum work parties are the first Wednesday and third Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. to noon. Plant sale work parties are every Thursday from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Plant sale work parties are every Thursday from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Volunteers grow, divide, and pot plants for the June sale. Work may be inside or outside, depending on the weather.

Work in the Arboretum is always outside

Support Your Arboretum by Joining Today. We Need You More Than Ever.