Class Calendar: January, February and March
Orchids
Saturday, January 14
noon – 1 pm
reservations required ($5 class fee)
If you love orchids, come enjoy a fun and informative seminar taught by orchid specialists Joe Grienauer and Spencer Lane from Emerald City Orchids in Seattle. A beautiful array of live flowering orchid plants will be displayed and discussed, as well as the history of orchids and fun facts. Information regarding growth and cultivation of orchids, such as watering, fertilizing, and repotting, will also be discussed. A large selection of orchids, including plants from the display, will be available for purchase.
For class reservations, please call us at 1-800-585-8200 or 360-466-3821
There’s a Deer in my Garden
Saturday, January 21
11 am – noon
reservations required ($5 class fee)
In every class we offer at the nursery one question comes up most consistently: “What can I do about the deer? They are eating everything in my garden!” There are as many answers to this question as there are variables that contribute to the ‘problem.’ WSU Master Gardener Diana Wisen will offer a range of strategies for managing our deer visitors, including effective ‘deer proofing’ techniques, recommendations on successful deer-resistant plants for our region, and how to create soil chemistry that discourages deer from grazing.
For class reservations, please call us at 1-800-585-8200 or 360-466-3821
The Virtues of Bareroot
Sunday, January 29
11 am – 12:30 pm
reservations required ($5 class fee)
Join John Christianson and Ani Gurnee as they sing the praises of bareroot trees and shrubs. John will start by reviewing the many advantages of buying bareroot (such as cost savings, ease of planting, and faster root growth) and he will answer all your questions about the varieties that are arriving daily. Ani will review what to do after bringing your bareroot home, such as how to choose a location where it will thrive, how to plant it properly, and how to prune your new bareroot tree or shrub to get it off to a good start. This promises to be a lively and informative session. What a perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon in January.
For class reservations, please call us at 1-800-585-8200 or 360-466-3821
Basic Fruit Tree Pruning
This class will be offered twice: Saturday, February 4 and Saturday, March 3
11 am – 12:30 pm
reservations required ($5 class fee)
This class will familiarize you with the basics of pruning and training. Fruit trees, unlike most other trees, require annual attention in order to perform their best. Learning enough to do it yourself is very fun and rewarding. If you are planning to take either of the specialty classes (‘Espalier Pruning’ or ‘Renovating Old Fruit Trees’) it would be well worth your while to start with this class as there will be more time spent covering the basic concepts common to all. Guest Speaker: Ani Gurnee from Aulos Design.
For class reservations, please call us at 1-800-585-8200 or 360-466-3821
Growing the Great Pumpkin
Saturday, February 11
11 am – 12:30 pm
reservations required ($5 class fee)
Interested in growing a 1,000-pound pumpkin for our Giant Pumpkin Weigh Off this coming October? Come learn the basics, including seed germination, early season protection, vine and pruning strategies, protecting the fruit, fertilizing and watering, as well as the first place to start – a soil test. Seeds will be available. Guest Speaker Phillip Renninger, the first place winner in Christianson’s 2011 Giant Pumpkin Weigh Off, is a local gardener who has been growing giant pumpkins for 10 years. His largest pumpkin to date was 1,016 pounds.
For class reservations, please call us at 1-800-585-8200 or 360-466-3821
Espalier Pruning
Saturday, February 18
11 am – 12:30 pm
reservations required ($5 class fee)
Espalier is the art of training a three-dimensional tree into a two-dimensional plane, usually with the aid of a support system. It is a wonderful way to accommodate fruit trees in even the smallest garden or courtyard. Though espalier is not complicated, there are definitely things to know that often make the difference between success and failure. Guest Speaker: Ani Gurnee from Aulos Design.
For class reservations, please call us at 1-800-585-8200 or 360-466-3821
Renovating Old Fruit Trees
Sunday, March 4
1 pm – 2:30 pm
reservations required ($5 class fee)
Does your garden or property have some older fruit trees that need some TLC? There can be great satisfaction in bringing these trees back into good form and productivity. This class will give you the ability to assess what these trees need and how to proceed, as well as some clues to evaluate whether a tree is worth saving or not. Guest Speaker: Ani Gurnee from Aulos Design
For class reservations, please call us at 1-800-585-8200 or 360-466-3821
Rose Pruning with John Christianson
Saturday, March 10
11 am – noon
reservations requested (complimentary)
If you have been wondering why your roses do not have the health, form or flowers you would like, you might be interesting in knowing how to prune them properly. John’s class will give you all the information you need to grow healthy, beautiful roses. Instruction in the classroom will be followed by hands on pruning in the Schoolhouse Garden. Bring gloves if you wish to help with the pruning.
For class reservations, please call us at 1-800-585-8200 or 360-466-3821
Pruning Ornamental Trees and Shrubs
Saturday, March 17
11 am – 12:30 pm
reservations required ($5 class fee)
This class will cover the pruning of ornamental trees, as well as a broad spectrum of shrub species. Learn how to recognize the different growth patterns. Many species can be treated more than one way depending on the form you desire. Guest Speaker: Ani Gurnee from Aulos Design.
For class reservations, please call us at 1-800-585-8200 or 360-466-3821
Hedging Techniques
Sunday, March 18
1 pm – 2:30 pm
reservations required ($5 class fee)
Hedging is an ancient European art and plays an essential role in the garden. We will explore the function and uses of hedges and the selection of plants for different kinds and sizes of hedges. Timing, tools and techniques for their development will also be discussed. Guest Speaker: Ani Gurnee from Aulos Design.
For class reservations, please call us at 1-800-585-8200 or 360-466-3821
Pretty Enough To Eat
Saturday, March 24
11 am – noon
reservations required ($5 class fee)
You don’t need to till up a square of soil to grow food in your garden. Many edible plants from blueberries to lettuce are both lovely and productive. Let us show you how to incorporate edible plants into your landscape. Why not let your garden give you both visual delight and hors d’oeuvres? Guest Speakers: Kathy Hirdler from Floribunda Designs and Lily Hirdler from Christianson’s Nursery.
For class reservations, please call us at 1-800-585-8200 or 360-466-3821
Decorating with Spring Botanicals
Saturday, March 31
10 am – 11:00 am
reservations required ($5 class fee)
Bring the outdoors inside this spring! This demonstration-style session will spark your creativity for creating beautiful displays and arrangements using natural spring botanicals, such as forsythia, budding quince, spirea, and cherry blossom branches, forced spring bulbs, moss, and a wide array of spring-blooming flowers. Guest Speakers: Karin Kempers from Christianson’s Nursery and Mindy McCabe.
For class reservations, please call us at 1-800-585-8200 or 360-466-3821
Spring Walk with John Christianson
Saturday, March 31
1 pm
reservations requested (complimentary)
Join us for the first garden tour of 2012. John Christianson will lead you through the 11-acre English Garden at La Conner Flats. This walk will begin in our Schoolhouse Garden and from there you will stroll with John as he points out trees and shrubs and emerging bulbs that await you on this fun and informative tour.
For reservations for the Spring Walk, please call us at 1-800-585-8200 or 360-466-3821
Following the Spring Walk on March 31, plan to have Tea at the Granary at La Conner Flats. This tea features sandwiches, scones, fruit, and dessert. The perfect ending to an afternoon stroll. Call 466-3190 for reservations and prepayment for this popular event ($14 per person).
