Give Big in May for the Willow Village Bears!

Our Give Big campaign this year is to raise funds to purchase two driftwood bears by artist Joe Treat. The bears will stand sentry in the Willow Village, a community crafting and family fun event coming to an arboretum near you (that would be us). You can donate any time in May. Our goal is $4,000.

It begins on July 16th and culminates in a family fun event on Saturday, July 18th featuring three child-sized willow structures made by willow artists Maria Bullock and Erin Cox, two driftwood bears, and lots of crafting projects for the entire family to enjoy. Children can also enjoy scavenger hunts and face painting.

Click here to learn more about the Willow Village Family Fun Event.

Click the donate button to help us purchase the bears.

This event is funded by a City of Everett grant, EA&G, and, we hope, by you.

Preparing for the Village & the Bears

The Willow Village will be located in the area around the palm tree, east of the glass paved path. It's been on our radar for several years given that it's full of bindweed and maianthemum. We like the maianthemum but not the bindweed; however, we can't get rid of one without killing the other. An extensive system of tree roots makes it impossible to pull or dig out the offending plants.

In April, after the Parks Department sprayed the area to kill the weeds, our volunteers began spreading a thick layer of wood chips to create a site for the Willow Village. We're far from done, and would welcome your help on Wednesday, May 6th from 10 a.m. to noon.

June Will Be Here Before We Know It: And So Will the Annual Plant Sale and the Raffle

The Plant Sale is a week early this year, so be sure to mark your calendars for June 13th through 15th. The gates open at 10 a.m. Saturday. If you've been before, you know you'll find plenty of variety, good quality, and excellent prices. Last year's sale was full of flowering shrubs and containers of annuals, thanks to our hard-working plant sale crew. Sale hours are different every day, so check our website for more information.

New This Year: Sip & Shop: Members Only Friday, June 12th from 6 - 7 p.m.

Members get first pick of the sale before we open to the public on Saturday--plus a complimentary beverage.

Not a member? There's still time to sign up.

The Raffle Is Back

Check out this year's prizes. The perennial favorites are back--the cedar arbor, a Villa Taranto Japanese maple, the estate bird bath, hummingbird bench, a very large container, and a blue star garden quilt by the Arboretum's very own Carol Lueneberg. Or you can try to win a round of golf with Trevor or a private pruning session with Emile.

We'll be selling tickets at Sorticulture, the Plant Sale, and other events at the Arboretum until August 15th when we have the drawing. Tickets are still just $1.

Help us meet our goal of $4,999 and maybe win one of these great prizes.

So Many Classes in May: Classes are from noon to 1 p.m. and free to the public. No registration necessary.

Perfect Summer Containers

Saturday, May 9: Whether you want to create drought tolerant succulent containers, beautiful window boxes, or perennial containers, Sandy Milam will take the mystery out of designing that perfect combination of plants to make your summer containers standouts in your garden.

Perennial Path: Shrubs for Structure

Saturday, May 23: Love perennials but looking to provide structure and year-round interest? Join Master Gardener and Arboretum board member Lee Borgatta as she discusses shrubs that create structure in the Master Gardener border.

Tree Talk Series: Maples

Sunday, May 31: Take a stroll through the Arboretum with two Arboretum board members—Libbie Soden, Arborist & Urban Forester, and Lee Borgatta, Tree Steward & Master Gardener--and learn about the amazing diversity of maples growing in the Arboretum.

Docent Tours in the Garden

The Redmond Garden Club came to visit on April 22. The group was undeterred by what began as a very wet morning and even pulled a few weeds along the way. One of them killed two slugs for us. Two of our docents-in-training participated as well.

A Visit to the Price Sculpture Garden

Sometimes a field trip is just what you need. My husband and I visited the Price Sculpture Garden on Whidbey Island in April and enjoyed the wide variety of sculptures by artists from around the country and even other continents. Below are just two of the sculptures I particularly enjoyed. Unfortunately, I didn't make note of the artists, but maybe that will encourage you to go and see them. The garden has two relatively level paths through the woods that take you past all the sculptures.

Bess Bronstein encourages us to "Find something joyful in your garden every day." Here's what's bringing me joy today in my garden and in the Arboretum.

I no longer remember what these tulips are, but my squirrels seem willing to leave them alone.

These cute little fungi look almost good enough to eat. If you know what they are, let me know. Google Lens didn't help.

Boxes and Towels Still Needed

We are still collecting Costco boxes for our June Plant Sale. We are also in need of any old towels you may have to donate. We need these to dry off the book walk when we replace it with a new one. Drop off your donations at the Arboretum Thursday mornings between 9:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Join the Arboretum Now. We Need You More Than Ever!