October Arboretum News

September Work Party Volunteers Dig in and Get It Done,

braving poisonous plants and thorny shrubs

The turnout was great for our September 20th work party. Over 20 people, including two new volunteers, showed up to help. We removed conium maculatum, commonly called poison hemlock, that had started growing by the entry columns and then covered it with four inches of chip mulch to prevent it from re-emerging in the spring (we hope). The offending plants were placed in plastic bags and disposed of in the trash.

Also removed, in preparation for Autumn Fest, were a number of barberry bushes that had gotten buried under the larger barberries surrounding "Siblings." They will show up at next June's plant sale. The larger barberries, planted to discourage people from climbing "Siblings," got a trimming to keep them from blocking the view of the sculpture.

A third group of volunteers removed the very persistent irises behind the kiosk and in the Nativar Garden.

Join us at 10 a.m., October 1st, for our next volunteer work party.

October Event and Class Schedule: No fee & no registration is required.

Autumn Fest: Sat, Oct 18 from 10AM - 12PM

Celebrate the season with a free, family-friendly day of fun for all ages. Roll up your sleeves to plant spring-flowering bulbs, craft colorful fall-leaf dreamcatchers, and enjoy tasty refreshments. Extra bulbs are yours to take home.

Plants for Fall & Winter Interest: Saturday, October 25th from 12 noon to 1 p.m.

Want an attractive yard all year long, especially in the drearier months? Join board member Trevor Cameron CPH, gardening & plant expert, to learn the tips and tricks on how to keep your yard looking great all year. Discover the best plants for vivid fall color and winter interest, from foliage to twig colors to berries to blooms - not just hellebores, but heuchera, bergenias & more. Learn how to incorporate these PNW plants into your landscape & containers.

Thinking About Volunteering? Give These Plant Sale Prep Work Parties a Try

Plant sale work parties continue through the first two weeks of October on Thurs. mornings 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Our focus will be on dividing perennials to sell at the annual June sale. You'll learn about plant propagation, and we'll even give you a start to try at home. Stop by or send us an email message to be find out when work days resume in March. 

If you're starting your fall garden clean-up, remember the Arboretum. We welcome empty hanging baskets and decorative planters to be recycled for next year's sales. Just drop them off outside the classroom building.

Coming in December, Deck the Boughs: Calling All Crafters

Pick Up Your Needles, Pom Pom Makers, or Crochet Hooks, and Give Us a Hand

After five years of Wintertide Lights, we're trying something different: a daytime version of Wintertide. No lights, but the gnomes will be back as will Solstice Walk with luminaria workshops--plus lots of pom poms, crocheted birds, willow stars, and pinecone chains hanging in the Arboretum during the month of December. We need your help to pull this off.

We're partnering with Great Yarns and the YMCA on pom pom making. You can pick up two free skeins of yarn at Great Yarns and work at home or join a pom pom making party in November. Or get creative and crochet a bird or two or three for us. There are lots of free patterns on the internet. Be sure to use bright colors; we want the decorations to stand out.

On Sunday, November 9th, join Erin Cox of Field and Forest Crafts and make willow stars, pinecone chains, and bulrush stars. Details will be on our website soon.

Who's Visiting the Arborteum?

It's not often we get princesses in the Arboretum, but look who visited in September!

Visitors from near and far--Redmond, Vancouver, and Toronto.

This group came all the way from Queensland, Australia. After visiting Boeing, they toured the gardens.

Sculpture Tour for Zonta Members

Constance Jones, Arboretum Board member and sculptor, provided a tour of the 22 sculptures in the Arboretum for the members of the Zonta Club of North Puget Sound who were attending their district conference in Everett. They are pictured here, in the late afternoon sun, with "We Rise," donated to the City of Everett in honor of Zonta's 90th anniversary and sculpted by Jones.

Autumn in the Skagit Valley: Pumpkins Everywhere

A few entries in the Skagit Valley Giant Pumpkin Contest on display at Christianson's Nursery.

If you prefer not to scoop out the seeds, this might be for you.

Support Your Arboretum by Joining Today. We Need You More Than Ever.