Past Events

Wednesday, May 11, 2016
7:30pm • Doors Open at 7
Whatcom Museum ~ Old City Hall
121 Prospect Street, Bellingham
Members $7, General $12

In the 1990’s, Maurice Horn left a mainstream job to co-found Joy Creek Nursery in Scappoose, Oregon. He and Mike Smith “created the nursery they always wanted to find”, one that specializes in hardy perennials, shrubs, clematis and small trees.  Maurice will talk about his recent move from a small urban garden to his partner’s existing, 10-acre garden on Sauvie Island and how it has led to many new understandings about the craft and the art of gardening.

Suddenly changing from a site with compacted clay soil to one with loamy sand led to unexpected possibilities and some surprising disappointments. In addition the forest and fields around the site were inhabited by a herd of hungry deer, countless undermining moles, and snails by the thousands.

This is gardening on a grand scale. The setting overlooks a state park and encompasses vistas of distant mountains and hills. Deciding how to incorporate the work of two previous designers, as well as many previous gardeners, and still maintain the astonishing views was the first priority. Learning how to choose a plant palette that speaks to the landscape, yet allows them to satisfy their need to try new plants has been a struggle. They’ve learned how to frame the natural world around them and to open up the landscape where once they might have filled it.

Maurice will bring plants from his nursery.

Bring your checkbook and renew at the lecture, or click here to renew or join online.

It’s a plant party with wine and cheese!
A Spring  Members-Only Event
Thursday, April 28, 7:30pm
Squalicum Boathouse • Doors open at 7pm

It’s a plant party with wine and cheese!

We had so much fun, we’re doing it again!

Join us at a members-only event for an evening of plant passion, wine and cheese. Our local nurseries will be there to talk about plants they are passionate about, along with ideas of how to use them in your garden. Each presenter has chosen
plants they think you shouldn’t miss out on. They may be new or unusual, or a great performer that is sometimes overlooked. You will be able to purchase plants after their presentations.

We’d like to welcome:

• Windy Meadow Nursery
• Cloud Mountain
• The Garden Spot
• Tuxedo Garden Nursery
• The Gardens at Padden Creek
• My Garden Nursery

Spring Lecture Series Opener
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
Squalicum Boathouse
2600 N. Harbor Loop Drive, Bellingham
7:30pm • Doors open at 7:00pm
Ticket at the door: $7 Members • $12 General

Sue and Kelly of Far Reaches Farm nursery in Port Townsend will immerse you in the plants they find exciting. Brace yourself for an evening laced with Latin binomials which will be more fun than that might imply as they dive deep into some serious plant lust. In addition to some of the newest plants coming out of their extensive collection at the nursery, they will show some highlights from their recent plant hunting expedition which Whatcom Horticultural Society helped sponsor. This will be a talk that is plant geek-worthy yet not terribly boring for your non-plant spouse. There will be plants for sale!

Please click here for a pdf of the plants list from the Ciscoe Morris lecture at the Museum.

“The Land, the Culture and the Gardens Between Mountains and Sound”
Wednesday, September 16 at 7:30pm
Whatcom Museum • 121 Prospect Street, Bellingham
Doors open at 7pm • Tickets at the door for non-members $12

Steve Lorton is dedicated to the preservation of our language, at war with all the superficial communications and the dumbing-down of our times and our ability to think conceptually. Join a great story teller for a fun evening that will explore wonders of our Pacific Northwest in a new light with some enticing thoughts of how our gardens are represented on the world horticultural stage.

Steve Lorton was Sunset Magazine’s Northwest Editor from 1972 to 1990, then based with Time/Warner until 2005, working with projects in print and broadcast as Northwest Bureau Chief: 33 years total (he started when he was 10).

When asked about his bio, Steve responded, “I’ve written Gardening, Travel, Architecture and Food, appeared on all the major networks as a garden presenter, I’m movie star handsome and highly intelligent. You don’t need to mention that, they’ll figure it out. Get this: I’m the only person you will likely ever know who was picked-up and held by Harry Truman. This is true. I’ve met zillions of famous people, published thousands of stories (I really have) and frankly, I don’t care about any of that. There’s some stuff on Google if you are interested. My main interests in life are my son and his family, my garden, my dog, my friends, travel and reading. I have ten acres, a house, and a woefully neglected garden in the Upper Skagit Valley, just off the North Cascades Highway.” Sounds like an fun evening ahead!

Renew or join at the lecture, or do it online now by clicking here. Membership extends through Dec. 2016.

New Event!
Saturday, Oct 3 (rain or shine) from 9am to Noon
2604 16th St. in Bellingham (off Chuckanut Drive near Fairhaven Park)

This is a great opportunity to receive and donate some new plants for each other.  Let’s make this a success for all and it will become an annual event. Come to socialize, and discover some new plants for your garden! Hot beverages and sweet breads will be served.

Drop off plants to exchange 10am-4pm Thurs Oct 1 or Fri Oct 2, then return between 9am-Noon Sat Oct 3 to pick out some new plants.  If you live out of town and don’t want to drive in twice, call Diana to make arrangements.

Participants must have plants to exchange, please label plants and bring in plastic pots.  We  will provide help labeling the plants so don’t let that keep you from participating.  There will  be plant books and extra labels at the event.

Renew or join at the exchange, or do it online now by clicking here. Membership extends through Dec. 2016.

Questions? Contact Diana Firestone – call 360-393-4910 or email diananieman@yahoo.com.

Wednesday, October 21, 2015 at 7:30pm
Doors Open at 7 • Members $7, Non-members $12
Whatcom Museum, 121 Prospect Street, Bellingham

Join us for a an evening with the always delightful Ciscoe Morris to hear about some of his favorite, must-have, absolutely irresistible plants. Included in the mix are shrubs, perennials, spring and summer flowering bulbs, and maybe a few tropicals too. Ciscoe will give tips on how to keep them looking their best in your garden and answer your questions.

You can watch him on the Friday night KING 5 Q&A show “Gardening with Ciscoe” with Meeghan Black, “Gardening with Ciscoe Live” on Northwest Cable News, and he also appears on KING 5’s “New Day Northwest” with Margaret Larson. You can also catch his gardening advice mixed with a hearty dose of humor every Saturday morning on News Talk 97.3 KIRO FM.

Ciscoe also writes a weekly garden column for the Seattle Times. His book, ‘Ask Ciscoe’, remains a best seller. He has also coauthored books on roses and perennials. Ciscoe is crazy about dogs and can often be found at his Seattle home gardening alongside his pooches Fred and Ruby. His other passion is travel, and despite his busy schedule, he manages to find time to lead garden tours to countries all over the world.

Bring your checkbook and renew at the lecture, or click here to renew or join online.

“A Walk Through the Wespelaar Arboretum in Belgium”
Tuesday, May 26, 7:30pm
Squalicum Boathouse • 2600 N Harbor Loop Drive, Bellingham
Doors open at 7pm • Members $7, General $12

Join us for a an evening with the exuberant director of the Arboretum Wespelaar in Belgium, Dr Koen Camelbeke.  This world class arboretum and scientific institution was started in 1984 as an extension of the plant collections of  Philippe de Spoelberch.  With a mission to build a collection of woody plants from the temperate climates of the world, Arboretum Wespelaar is now considered to be one of the best botanical gardens in the world.   Recognized for its peaceful beauty and charm, the arboretum’s collection holds over 2,000 different species and varieties. Dr Camelbeke will take us on a tour  through the garden where we can enjoy it’s extensive plantings of Acer, Magnolia, Stewardia, Rhododendron, Styrax and Ilex much of which is known wild origin.

More information about Dr. Camelbeke can be found at www.arboretumwespelaar.be/EN/.

It’s a plant party with wine and cheese!
A Spring  Members-Only Event
Wednesday, April 29, 7:30pm
Squalicum Boathouse • Doors open at 7pm

We’ve changed the format for our spring meeting and invite you to join us at a members-only event for an evening of plant passion, wine and cheese.

Our local nurseries will be there to talk about plants they are passionate about, along with ideas of how to use them in your garden. Each presenter has chosen plants they think you shouldn’t miss out on. They may be new or unusual, or a great performer that is sometimes overlooked. You will be able to purchase plants after their presentations.

We’d like to welcome:

• A Lot of Flowers
• Windy Meadow, Cloud Mountain
• The Garden Spot, Van Wingerden
• The Gardens at Padden Creek
• My Garden Nursery