Docent Dirt

The Arboretum at South Seattle Community College has begun their very first docent program. We welcome them. The 10 new docents at your service during the year. Garden tours will be held once a month on Second Saturdays. Other private group tours are scheduled randomly throughout the year. We hope this begins a really great new avenue for students, alumni and the community.

 

Water Bottle for Gardeners BPA free

The Platypus. I have had one for a while now, and it is my bottle of choice.I am an X Flight Attendant. So I know about great gadgets that can go anywhere and not take up room in your bag. This bottle is good for gardeners.
 You can fill 'er up. Freeze her. Boil her. She can be a hot water bottle on very cold nights or even carry frozen Martguerita's. I have not tried that out myself but it sounds great.
 I fill her up at night put in the fridge and she's all nice and cold in the AM for my day. I have two. That way I get my total daily H2O! Freeze one for your lunch later.
If you travel, it lies flat in your bag. When you get on the other side of security, you can go to the fountain, fill her up presto! You have water for your flight. Sweet.

West Seattle Garden Tour at South Seattle Community College

Ya'll come  on over to the Arbi and rock the trees tomorrow with the West Seattle Garden Tour. If you have a ticket you can get free wine and cheese and chocolate from 1PM to 2:30 in the Sensory Garden. Don't miss the Arbie. Its the bomb.

Evergreen Dogwood Cornus capitata

SSCC We are on the West Seattle Garden Tour!!!

Don't miss this tour. A peak into some of the coolest gardens of West Seattle. July 18th from 9AM to 5PM.  Come to the college at noon, you can purchase a delicious  boxed lunch and enjoy it while you listen to the speaker, or just sit a spell in the Arboretum.  Later, at 1PM there is free wine, cheese and chocolate to the ticket holders.

 These gardens are all way beyond the 'yard of the month' quality. When I was young, I just wanted to win the 'Yard of the Month'. I knew it was doomed. I had designed a lovely corner planting near the street. But then my neighbor came by and inquired as to  why I was 'saving' the crabgrass. I was saving the grass in the wheel barrel to place in another 'bare spot'.  Sigh. Embarrassing moment # 4399. Well I have never been a big fan of lawns.   The good thing is that the plantings lasted. I went by the old place last year. I had planted Shore Juniper and a Japanese Maple and some other stuff. They are still doing beautifully. And look how out of fashion grass is now?
 I like to think I was ahead of myself. Uh yeah.
All that was before my Master Gardener classes and my Horticulture Degree. I am still learning. Life long learning at South Seattle Community College. Ya'll come on over here.

Waiting for Summer

We moved to our 'new' old home in West Seattle last November. I have been waiting for summer ever since. Is it just me? I wonder what has taken summer so long. Arriving last week, it up and left on vacation. The nerve. It was 55 this morning. I stubbornly went out in my sandals. I'll be darned if I am going to wait for summer any more.

The garden here was once a stunning cottage garden. I see the remnants. There were beautiful Huecheras in deep red to match the Forest Pansy. The Huecheras have all disappeared, and whats' left of them is a broken tag I found buried there.

I can't complain, there are still quite a lot that has survived.

Here is a list:

Rosemary, Lavender, Mint and Lily of the Valley, Tea Roses. A Dogwood, a Maple, a cranky old weeping Cherry with twig die back. Some California Lilac, a few Maidenhair Ferns, one lovely Hosta, a some Hellebors. On a fence is Akebia quinata, and a shrub honey suckle It is called Himalayan Honeysuckle (Leycesteria formosa), a bunch of Sedum 'Autumn Joy'. Creeping Jenny

But it is all overgrown and surrounded by Ivy and Stinky Bob galore. Decayed, it feels decayed. Somehow there are tons of old nails and boards and cement stepping stones strewn around. Any moment I am going to see Boo Radley. I'll have to post some photo's for you to peruse.

This is my dream. I am going to renovate this garden. I want it to last longer than a decade. That is the dream.

I have a lot to do. I'm gonna think about it tomorrow.

Chupacabra's Spotted in West Seattle

Lately, rumors have been swirling on the West Seattle Blog about these strange and unusual pests.The dreaded Chupacabra has been spotted in Texas, and as far northwest as Portland, Oregon.

I thought that the coyote was bad. The Chupy doesn't eat the plants, but apparently likes to rub on the bark and enjoys sleeping near the pond in the sensory garden. I think that he has been going through the trash though. We can't always be serious.

Arboretum on Tour

Monday was Arboretum tour day with my boss. We combed through the place and wrote everything down that needed attention. Now, do I hear any volunteers charging through the gates? Hmm, it's pretty quiet out there. I don't hear any charging.

Hopefully I will see some few kind souls with tools coming through.

July 18 is the date we are targeting.

That is our West Seattle Garden Tour day. Please do join us on that day. The Garden Center will be open and there will be a lot of great plants to pick!