I loved the beautiful, pastoral setting of the island and the magnificent views of the water. It seemed to me that life in general took a slower pace here, so that I could take the in not only the sights, but also absorb the tranquility it offered. I was mesmerized by every garden I  visited. Each had its own unique style and at the end of the day, my head was brimming with ideas inspired by each garden.

DIG Nursery and the Johnson-Matlock Residence

Creativity is abound in every nook and corner of this nursery. Sedums are planted in all sorts of planters, even metal boxes recycled from shipyards. Brightly colored containers are artfully placed all through the nursery instead of being stored in a section. The gabion walls add a sculptural dimension to the nursery. The dry shade garden of Ross Johnson and Sylvia Matlock is simply delightful. Reclaimed metal art combined with succulents and drought tolerant plant borders in the garden act as a complement to a very stylish  and modern house.

Frogsong Gardens (Owner – Cindy Stockett)

A formal garden with a Northwest flair is how Cindy describes her 16-acre property. Plants with contrasting colors and textures are beautifully combined to creates focal points as you turn every corner. The towering Cardoon with its silver foliage is such a show stopper and the beautiful blue blooms of Milky Bellflower (Campanula lactiflora) has me spellbound. The Hostas and the Japanese Forest Grass are incredibly lush. Cindy attributes this to her regular use of organic compost in the garden, no chemical fertilizers at all.

Carhart Gardens (Owner – Whit and Mary Carhart)

As I descend into this amazing hillside garden, I am completely blown away by its beauty. The path winds down the slope through towering conifers and lush plantings bordered by cleverly placed logs, snags and rocks. A cute little viewing pavilion lets you glimpse the pond below. The pond itself is an oasis of tranquility. Going down through the moon gate, I feel I am descending from heaven. Colorful plant borders, especially alliums and the Japanese forest grass  draws the eye towards the house. The Indonesian shed, the running kids sculpture, the Adirondacks, the birdhouse collection, the hammock and the cutest ever dollhouse personalizes the garden and connects it to the owners and their lifestyle. A little secret path leads down to the waters of the Puget Sound. Hmmm! I needed many more trips to take in the beauty of this garden.

Pfeiffer Gardens (Owner – David Pfeiffer, Landscape Architect)

A superb Mediterranean garden set in the Pacific Northwest. One has to see it to believe it. The garden feels like an extension of the house, an outdoor living space. An allium allee with fruit trees in galvanized culverts leads to an herb garden and an outdoor dinning/entertaining area. “Musk Starbwerry as ground cover not only provides fruit, but is an excellent weed suppressor,” said Pfeiffer. I find the the gravel paths to be as architectural as the large concrete planters and stone urns. Under-plantings of Japanese Blood grass softens the concrete planters, while the Euphorbia ‘Firethorn’ makes the garden glow. The Bocce-ball Court is flanked by Locust trees on both sides, with  gravel spread up to the bark. I could see myself with a glass of wine, playing Bocce. All it needed is an outdoor brick oven to cook pizzas and I could be in Italy. Simply bellissimo!

This event marks the completion of a whole year since I joined the exclusive Master Naturalist training program offered by the City of Bellevue. I underwent 11 weeks of training in Puget Sound’s cultural history, local forest and wetland ecology, geology, soil science, native plants, invasive plants, restoration ecology and local wildlife. I was taught interpretive techniques and was trained to lead nature walks. I also developed skills to manage volunteers and lead groups to perform restoration activities.

In complete gear

Since my training, I have applied my knowledge and skills in several projects including –

• Teach the ‘function and importance of wetlands’ to fourth and fifth graders during Natural Resource Week.

• Co-design and illustrate a six page brochure on ‘How to Create a Backyard Wildlife Habitat.’

• Lead environmental programs aimed at removing invasive weeds like blackberries from park lands.

• Train the Well-Kept program members to harvest willow stakes and replant at a wetland restoration site.

• Teach Native Plant Identification (Upland, Wetland and Invasive) and lead Plant ID walks.

• Co-teach a class on ‘Edible, Useful and Medicinal Plants’ including an interpretive walk.

• Co-design a restoration planting plan for a native hillside which was rescued from invasive blackberries.

• Lead volunteer groups (Boys Scouts) in planting native plants at a restoration site.

• Teach a class on ‘How to Create a Backyard Wildlife Habitat’ – coming up on April 28^th at Lake Hills Ranger Station, Bellevue.

While I have always upheld sustainable eco-friendly practices in my garden design and coaching, this recognition and experience has propelled me to being closely involved in my commitment to community outreach and environmental education.

Master Naturalist Badge

The need to have a ‘perfect lawn’ has led to a rampant use of a regimen of ‘weed and feed’ products. This has not only impacted our environment adversely but has created a toxic chemical mat in our own backyard, making it highly unsafe for our children and pets.

Learn more about sustainable lawn care, clover lawns and disposal of lawn chemicals in my latest garden column on Woodinville Patch – “Are You Obsessed With Green Lawns?”

Here is my review on Woodinville Patch.

I have been a part of this construction frenzy for past few days. I am helping a couple of designers build patios, paint arbors, move large trees, prune grasses and I’m loving every moment of it. Trucks are zooming by with construction materials, rocks and plants. Various crews are setting up large structures, building walls, water features, etc. Front loaders are bringing in sawdust and compost. Large cranes are setting rocks and some really huge boulders. The energy floating around the room is extremely contagious. I can’t believe I moved that humungous magnolia!

Patio almost done, is that a pond next to it?

Three-column granite water feature

What a magnificent tree!

All this ingenuity and hard work! Unfortunately, all this will be taken down a week later.

Whoa! I am glad I jumped out of the way!

Peonies in winter? Only possible at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show

Click to see more behind-the-scenes photos and get an idea of what’s in store this year. Hope the photos inspire you to come and enjoy the gardens, the seminars and the marketplace.

Today’s garden column on Woodinville Patch has my article on planning a functional outdoor space. The steps outlined in the article focus not only on design, but also on the importance of soil testing and budget planning. In my experience, a well-designed garden plan helps create an outdoor living space that matches your lifestyle and saves money, time and energy.

But, I also see winter damage in my garden. The bamboo is completely bent by the weight of all the snow and ice. To prevent branch breakage, I shook them gently to knock the snow off.

The Nandina (or Heavenly Bamboo) got the same treatment. Isn’t the Nandina beautiful? I love this awesome four season shrub. But, that’s a story for another post, another day!

In the Pacific Northwest, the freeze and thaw cycles that alternate with cold and mild weather spells can cause extensive damage. Here are a few basic tips to prevent or repair winter damage in the garden –

• Do not fertilize late in the season, especially late summer. The surge of young growth will not have enough time to harden off before the cold spells of November.

• Mulch the garden beds with wood chips in late fall. The wood chips will maintain an even soil temperature and protect the roots, especially that of herbaceous perennials.

• Tie the multiple branches of large arborvitae (Thuja) in a spiral fashion with heavy twine. The larger the tree gets, the more it begins to open at the top, thus increasing its susceptibility to break.

• Prune out the dead/broken branches in fall, so that these don’t succumb to the weight of the snow.

• During a cold spell, shake off the snow/ice from the plants, especially if the weight is causing the branches to bend and break.

• If the plant does get damaged in the winter, wait till growth begins in early spring to remove the damaged/dead branches.

More detailed information can be found this Fine Gardening article.

I recently wrote an article on Dangers of Dumping Yard Waste in Natural Areas. It was published on Woodinville Patch, an online news and information site (owned by AOL). Do read it to learn how yard waste dumping can impact our local environs and what we can do to preserve the natural areas.

As the days grow shorter and nights become colder, one of first trees to change color in our zone is the Katsura tree. The heart shaped, blue-green leaves change into a unique blend of colors ranging from soft yellow to deep oranges and fiery reds. The aroma of these leaves simply intensifies on a dry, windy day.

Katsura (Cercidiphyllum japonicum) is typically multi-stemmed and a very easy-to-care-for tree. It is fast growing and can grow up to 20’ in about 10 years. Plant it in a sunny location, in well-drained soil. It prefers regular watering, especially in the summer. Note that it will drop its green leaves during prolonged periods of drought. Use it in your landscape for shade, for privacy or for just its magical fall leaves.

The Coolest-ever Cider Press              Ingela Wanerstrand, Fruit Tree expert
    

Apple pressing is what I did this past weekend at Seattle Tilth’s Harvest Fair. As a volunteer for the Urban Farm exhibit, I helped landscape designer, Ingela Wanerstrand setup her cider press for making fresh apple cider. City Fruit donated tons of apples harvested from apple trees in local parks and neighborhoods.

Apples donated by City Fruit

It was really cool to see the assembly line setup where apples were triple washed, cut and fed into the crusher. Kids lined up to turn the wheel and crush the apples into a mush. The nylon mesh bag that held this mush was then pressed to squeeze the fresh juice into a container. This juice can be consumed as is or can be turned into spiced cider.

Ooooo… those apples are turning to mush

 Isn’t that cool?                                    Turn, Turn, Turn
     

Yum-O! Fresh Apple Cider

I also learnt that the leftover pulp, known as pomace, can be a healthy food source for farm animals such as goats. As people crowded around to see the demonstration, Ingela answered their questions on different varieties of apples, on growing them, on pasteurizing the apple cider and so on. The cider press can be rented from any local brewery. In Seattle, they are available at Bob’s Homebrew Supply and Miller’s Rent-All.