Join us tomorrow as we scrabble with the Weasel in the Arbie.

Tomorrow is our regular second Saturday work-party in the Arboretum.

It will also be Ellen Wanless's last day. 

If you haven't signed up and wish to come, please feel that you can. I will have extra sandwiches. You all are most welcome. I would love to have as many of you as possible to have fun and work with Ellen as she spends her last day with us.

Bonus,the Garden Center will be open from 11 to 3!

If you don't know Ellen, you should. She is a gracious and charming lady. She holds her undergraduate degree in art but like many of us, is a horticulturalist at heart. Upon moving to Washington state, she went on to Edmunds LHO Program and received her degree in Horticulture there. Her father was an engineer and I believe that is where her rigorous scientific mind developed. Ellen and Bill operate Brooke Wanless Gardens, a very successful local gardening business. Bill, her dear spouse has also contributed his time monthly these past year to the Arboretum as a Certified Arborist. Bill and Ellen deserve much credit for their generosity of time and effort in our Arboretum. 

Ellen has spent the last 3 years working with the CoHort on 2nd Saturdays. She has focused her efforts on the Lamiastrum galeobdolen removal.She did some valuable research at UW for us before agreeing to tackle this major effort in the Arboretum.

 Last year Ellen and I gave a talk at the Annual IPM workshop Sponsored by Seattle Public Utilities and funded by the Local Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County; held on campus. Our talk focused on the L. galeobdolen and the efforts taking place in the Arboretum by the Cohort. In our research for the project, we found that our cousins in England call this plant Weasel Snout!

From then on of course, that is what we just had to call it.It was just too good a name to pass up.

Join us tomorrow as we scrabble with the Weasel in the Arbie, and celebrate Ellen.

Yours in the trees,

Claire