The Arboretum in July: So Much to See

The Bears Are Here

The bears arrived on June 22nd and are ready and waiting to guard the Willow Village, which will be constructed on July 16th and 17th, and then decorated by Summerfest attendees on Saturday, July 18th. Event hours are from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Summerfest is a free family fun event held in the Arboretum every summer. There's something for everyone to enjoy--willow crafts, origami, creating your own nature journal, and more. Also--ice cream thanks to Yay Big Yay High Yay Ice Cream Truck, popcorn thanks to the Arboretum, scavenger hunts, plants to take home thanks to Sunnyside Nursery, and pots to decorate and plant thanks to event sponsor The Plant Nerds. Music by Marco Cortes, face painting by the Y...the list goes on.

Thanks to everyone who donated to bring the bears to the Arboretum. We reached our fundraising goal of $4,000. Thanks to driftwood artist Joe Treat, pictured above. Joe creates amazing animal sculptures out of driftwood. To see more of his work, consider a field trip to his place in Bow at 6751 Worline Rd. Visitors are always welcome to park and take a look at the sculptures, and those wanting to set up a tour can email Joe Treat at jtreatster1@gmail.com.

Perennial Path Walk & Talk

Join Master Gardener Lee Borgatta on July 11th from 12 noon to 1 p.m. for a free talk about ferns in the Perennial Border. Ferns provide year-round interest, from the first fiddleheads emerging in the spring to the fronds that hang around through the winter. Whether you prefer the dainty maidenhair or the strappy leaves of the hart's tongue, if you don't have any in your garden already, Lee will surely convince you it's time to add a few.

Then take a walk around the Arboretum to see the ferns in the Woodland Garden and say hi to the bears.

Another Record Sale: You Came, You Saw, You Bought

It was a great year for the plant sale. Our plant sale volunteers created a plethora of beautiful hanging baskets and containers. Generous nurseries and growers provided hundreds of trees, shrubs, and perennials. We had our first (but not last) Friday evening Sip & Shop event for our members.

And then on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday people kept coming and buying. It was sunny and very warm in contrast to some years, which certainly helped boost attendance. We won't have a final sales total for a few weeks, as we begin the process of selling the remaining plants via online marketplaces--but we know we made more than last year's record-setting sale.

Special thanks to wholesale growers Lovejoy Nursery, Puget Sound Plants, Van Klaveren's Nursery, and T & L Nursery, and to Sunnyside Nursery, our favorite local purveyor and donor of plants. Also, thanks to the Antique Rose Farm. The sale is always our biggest fundraiser, and its proceeds allow us to continue improving the Arboretum for everyone's enjoyment.

Our Docents Are Busy This Summer

In May we had over 70 third-graders tour the gardens. In June we've had additional school groups, families, and adult visitors enjoy self-guided visits using the newly expanded downloadable activities section of our website. The Mukilteo Garden Club also visited and enjoyed a tour with docent Libbie Soden.

And then there are the on-going series of perennial walk and talks along the Master Gardener border and the tree talks for visitors to enjoy. Check out the classes and events section of our website to see what docent-led tours are open to the public.

Raffle Tickets on Sale: July 18th During Family Fun Event 11 am - 2 p.m

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.

Tickets are just $1. All proceeds go into the Arboretum.

Sorticulture 2026

It rained all around us but somehow missed downtown Everett and this year's Sorticulture. We sold raffle tickets and talked to passersby about the Arboretum and our upcoming plant sale. We also met the women behind Recooped, an Everett business we hope to partner with in the future. They make sturdy and stylish recycled tote bags from all kinds of materials--and are interested in using our banners in their creations.

Volunteers Constance and Wayne

Our Most Glamorous Visitor

Who's Visiting the Arboretum

These women found a great place to read and relax

Two sisters were enjoying a walk with their mother and the beautiful poppies in the Backyard Garden

They brought their own lawn chairs to enjoy the gardens

The Pollinator Garden is Back

Last year, as we waited for the installation of the sculpture in the Backyard Garden, long-time board member and volunteer Hap Wertheimer was inspired to plant wildflower seeds to see what would happen. What happened was they bloomed--creating a vibrant display for visitors and pollinators alike.

The flowers were so popular that we've done it again. December's Solstice Walkers flung bags of wildflower seeds around the area. This year we've been enjoying the baby blue eyes and now these bright red poppies. We'll see what comes next. We're even talking about establishing a pollinator garden elsewhere in the Arboretum.

Bird Bath Relocation Surprise

Last fall I relocated a backyard bird bath that wasn't getting much business. The birds seem to like the new location--especially the crows. I thought maybe they had scared away the other birds, but this morning I saw a pileated woodpecker standing in the water. It flew away before I could get a photo. I hope it returns for another bath.

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