Showing posts with label kruckeberg garden. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kruckeberg garden. Show all posts

Kruckeberg Botanic Garden’s Mother’s Day Plant Sale and Open House May 6-9

Saturday, April 24, 2010


Enjoy your local botanic garden on Mother’s Day weekend

At MsK Rare and Native Plant Nursery’s traditional spring sale, you’ll find the best selection of the year on choice native plants, spring bulbs and ephemerals, and unusual exotics. Since the sale is located within the Kruckeberg Botanic Garden, you can see how your plants will look as they mature. The sale has now been a Richmond Beach tradition for 23 years. 

All proceeds support operation of the Garden and its educational programs for the community. 

In addition to the sale, there is a free Garden tour on Saturday, May 8 and educational family activities all day on Sunday and Monday, May 8 and 9.

Due to limited parking at the Garden, all driving visitors are asked to use the off-site parking locations and shuttle service provided on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The shuttle is fast and convenient, and all riders will receive a coupon to use at the Sale.

More information is available at the Kruckeberg website or by calling 206-546-1281.

Thursday May 6, 10 am - 7 pm – Members Only Pre-Sale

A special pre-sale event open only to members of the Kruckeberg Botanic Garden Foundation. Members get to shop early for best selection. New members welcome to join at the Sale.

Friday May 7, 10 am - 5 pm

Open to the public. Off-site parking and shuttle at Richmond Beach Congregational Church, 1512 Northwest 195th St.

Saturday May 8, 10 am - 5 pm

Open to the public. Free garden tour at 1 pm and family educational activities available all day.

Off-site parking and shuttle at Richmond Beach Congregational Church, 1512 NW 195th St. Shuttle also links to the Richmond Beach Strawberry Festival and other neighborhood events throughout the day. Stay for the day and enjoy Richmond Beach. More information is available at Richmond Beach website.

Sunday May 9, 10 am - 5 pm

Open to the public. Free family educational activities available all day. Off-site parking and shuttle at Spin Alley Bowling Center, 1430 Richmond Beach Road.

Photos courtesy Kruckeberg Gardens

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Kruckeberg Botanic Garden audio tour: Talking Trees

Friday, April 23, 2010


With the new Talking Trees audio tour, visitors to the Kruckeberg Botanic Garden can now use their mobile phone to hear Dr. Kruckeberg, the Garden’s co-founder, talk about the Garden’s plant collection. 

Test it out with the Santa Cruz Ironwood tree (Lyonothamnus floribundus) at home by dialing 206-708-2220, and enter the Ironwood’s code, number 9, when prompted.



Ironwood tree photo by Vicki Demetre

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Kruckeberg Botanic Garden Plant of the Month – Wood Anemone

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

By Sarah Baker, Garden Director

The wood anemone (Anemone nemorosa ‘vestal’) is always a charmer in spring.  A dependable groundcover, its delicate leaves and cheerful white flowers add color and texture to the woodland floor. It naturalizes well in our area and is a yearly favorite among visitors to the Garden and the MsK Nursery, located within the Garden.
Photo by Vicki Demetre


In the Garden, wood anemone joins its relatives Anemone blanda and A. nemorosa ‘Robinsoniana’ as one of the most widespread spring flowers. The three mix harmoniously with other groundcovers, such as the ferns, hardy cyclamen, and numerous native groundcovers that fill the Garden. All are happiest when planted in drifts in rich soil and light shade.

Anemone nemorosa ‘vestal’ differs from its relatives in its burst of petaloid stamens in the flower’s center, which creates an elegant puff effect. This changes the purpose of the stamens to form rather than reproductive function, rendering the flowers sterile but long lasting in the landscape. This is an undesirable characteristic for the plant, but a boon for the gardener. 

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April Events at the Kruckeberg Botanic Garden

Saturday, April 17, 2010

From Emily Sprong, Program Director

These monthly hands-on workshops are taught by the staff of the Kruckeberg Botanic Garden.

Hypertufa Containers: April 22: 6:30–8:30 pm

Workshop fee: $35 + supply fee
Create a container designed to look like natural stone. These lightweight containers are fast draining and perfect for many plants. You’ll leave with a small container (approximately 12”x12”) and instructions for making more at home. $20 supply fee ($10 for members).

Garden Tours are led by trained Docents.

Birds of the Kruckeberg Garden: April 24: 8–10am
Fee: $10

The naturalistic design of the Garden provides excellent habitat for birds. Learn how you can encourage birds in your own garden. Bring binoculars.

Contact the Shoreline Parks Department to register. 206-418-3383 or register online

Check the Kruckeberg Botanic Garden website for a full list of workshops and tours.


20312 15th Ave NW
Shoreline, WA 98177
206-612-7312

email  to receive the monthly Kruckeberg eNewsletter.

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GardenParty celebrates botanist’s 90th birthday

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Organizers call the benefit a “GardenParty” and say it’s the appropriate way to toast such a renowned horticulturist. The event on Thursday April 8 in Shoreline caps the commemoration of botanist Art Kruckeberg’s 90th birthday.

Officially, the celebration began March 21 (his actual birthday). King County Executive Dow Constantine declared it to be Art Kruckeberg Appreciation Day, honoring his contributions to conservation, horticulture, the University of Washington, Puget Sound, and many other organizations and causes. Gov. Christine Gregoire issued a proclamation lauding Kruckeberg and asking the citizens of the state to join her in celebrating his remarkable life.


In the latest official recognition, Shoreline Mayor Keith McGlashan has declared the week of April 4 to be Art Kruckeberg Appreciation Week. On April 8, 6-8 pm, Shoreline City Hall will be the site of a party with wine and hors d’oeuvres to honor the city’s distinguished resident. If tickets are still available, prices begin at $90. See the website for more information.

A longtime UW botany professor, Kruckeberg wrote a half dozen well-regarded books, including his classic Gardening with Native Plants of the Pacific Northwest and the popular 50 Wildflower Hikes. He was also a founder of the Washington Native Plant Society, the Nature Conservancy of Washington, and the Northwest Horticultural Society.

The garden started in Richmond Beach by Kruckeberg and his wife, Mareen, over 60 years ago—now the Kruckeberg Botanic Garden—became a part of the Shoreline Parks system in 2008. The four-acre site is rich in plants native to the Pacific Northwest as well as unusual species from afar, many collected by the Kruckebergs during their worldwide travels. More than 40 bird species have been sighted in the garden. The Garden also is home to the MsK Rare Plant Nursery and offers a range of programs, classes, and volunteer opportunities.

The GardenParty is the first fundraiser by the Kruckeberg Botanic Garden Foundation. All net proceeds will go to support and maintain the Garden and expand its community education efforts. The president of the Foundation Board, Dr. Bill Schnall, said, “What better way is there to honor Art than by contributing to his garden, his legacy, this rich gift he has presented to us all?”

Schnall, a retired pediatrician who practiced 30 years in Shoreline, urged people wanting to support the Garden but who are unable to attend the party to make a donation of any amount at the
website and to become a member of the Garden.

GardenParty is sponsored by Chateau Ste Michelle, Trophy Cupcakes and Urban Press.

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Garden Party at Kruckeberg Botanic Garden

Friday, March 19, 2010

Kruckeberg Botanic Garden Foundation is holding a Garden Party in honor of Dr. Art Kruckeberg's 90th birthday, on Thursday, April 8, 6 - 8 pm, at Shoreline City Hall, 17500 Midvale Ave N. Tickets are $90, $250, and $500 and must be purchased in advance at the website. Proceeds benefit the Foundation and support the Kruckeberg Botanic Garden.


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Kruckeberg Botanic Garden Plant of the Month – Vine Hill Manzanita

Monday, March 15, 2010

 By Sarah Baker,
Garden Director


One of the Garden’s most admired plants year-round is the elegantly shaped Vine Hill manzanita (Arctostaphylos densiflora). Each spring, tiny pink flowers grace its slender, sinuously shaped branches. While in flower, it is guaranteed to catch your eye. 

Vine Hill manzanita possesses the attractive evergreen foliage, peeling dark red bark, and bell-shaped flowers that are common among manzanitas. Almost all manzanita species are found in the chaparral regions of western North America, where they occur from southern British Columbia south to much of northern and central Mexico. Interestingly, three Arctostaphylos species, the bearberries, are instead adapted to arctic and subarctic climates and have a circumpolar distribution in North America, Asia and Europe.

Endemic to a small area in the California chaparral, and considered endangered in its native range, Vine Hill manzanita is truly a unique and interesting plant for a Northwest garden. Despite its limited distribution in nature, it can thrive in our area when given full sun, well-drained soil, and good air circulation. This is a shrub that loves drought once established. No need to bother with summer watering!

Vine Hill manzanita is available to purchase at the Kruckeberg Garden, and several cultivars are available in other nurseries that offer variations in size, form, hardiness, and flower color. All are lovely additions to a sunny area in any gardener’s collection.

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Become a Kruckeberg Botanic Garden Docent

Saturday, February 20, 2010

The Kruckeberg Botanic Garden is a four-acre public garden owned by the City of Shoreline. It is a unique collection of over 2,000 native and exotic plant species in a naturalistic, wooded setting. The Garden is operated by the Kruckeberg Botanic Garden Foundation (KBGF), a non-profit organization.

Thousands of visitors enjoy the Kruckeberg Garden each year, and KBGF relies on volunteer docents to guide tours and lead educational activities for these visitors.


 Each spring, our docent-training program prepares new docents to fill this role. Trainees learn about the Garden's history and plant collection in a series of hands-on classes. After completing the training, new docents are encouraged to co-lead tours with other docents until they feel comfortable. Tours vary in size, length, and topic, ensuring that there is a tour for all comfort and experience levels. The training focuses on leading tours, but docents may choose to work in other capacities such as leading family educational activities.

This spring's training will take place on March 14, 21, and 28 and April 11 and 18 from 11 am - 2 pm. For more information, contact our docent coordinator or 206-546-1281. Applicants must complete and return a Docent Training Application by March 7.

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Learn about volunteer opportunities at Kruckeberg Gardens

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Interested in volunteering for Richmond Beach’s Kruckeberg Botanic Garden Foundation?

Learn more about our outreach events and other volunteer opportunities at a new volunteer orientation and training this Saturday, January 30, from 11 am - 1 pm at the Kruckeberg Botanic Garden.

We will talk about the Garden and the Foundation as well as the master planning process with the city of Shoreline. We’ll also take a short tour of the garden and go over our programs.

Contact Program Director Emily Sprong for more info or to sign up.

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Kruckeberg Botanic Garden master site plan workshop

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

In September, the community gathered at the first Kruckeberg Garden public workshop to learn about the development of a master site plan for the Garden. Since then, a full site survey has been completed along with an assessment of existing buildings and structures and the existing plant collection has been fully documented.

Shoreline residents are invited to the next public workshop on Wednesday, January 27, at 7:00 pm, Council Chambers at Shoreline City Hall, 17500 Midvale Ave N.

After gathering information from the community, a recommended master plan for the Garden will be presented to the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Board and the City Council in the spring of 2010.

For more information, contact Capital Projects Manager Dave Buchan at (206) 801-2475 or email.



Photo of MsK Nursery by David Berger
Courtesy of Kruckeberg Garden

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Kruckeberg Botanic Garden Plant of the Month: Chinese witchhazel

Saturday, January 16, 2010

By Sarah Baker, Kruckeberg Garden Directror
Special to the ShorelineAreaNews

Is there a better way to banish the January blues than with fragrant, cheerful flowers? We don’t think so. Chinese witchhazel (Hamamelis mollis) is fabulous in January and February as its filamentous yellow flowers open and release their perfume into the air. Native to eastern China, it has also been hybridized with Japanese witchhazel to form several popular cultivars that also flower in winter.

Though worth growing for its fragrance alone, this shrub also has other attributes. In the autumn, the downy gray-green leaves add some color to the garden as they turn from yellow to red. In the winter, the flowers’ pollen is a food source for hummingbirds during the cold, lean months. This remarkably tolerant shrub has few insect and disease problems, and little pruning is usually needed.

In their native habitat, Chinese witchhazels grow best in the understory or at woodland edges. They need decent soil and a blend of sun and dappled shade to reach their full potential. Plant one where you will walk near it in the winter, and enjoy!
Photos by Vicki Demetre, Kruckeberg Gardens

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Olmsted Historian and Author to Speak at Kruckeberg Botanic Garden’s Annual Meeting


Please join us on Thursday, January 21 for the annual Kruckeberg Botanic Garden Foundation members meeting and program. The meeting will take place at 7 pm at the Shoreline Historical Museum, located at 749 N 175th St, Shoreline 98133.

Joan Hockaday, author of Greenscapes: Olmsted’s Pacific Northwest, will discuss the indelible influence the Olmsted landscape architecture firm had on municipal, residential, institutional, and landscape design in our region. Greenscapes was published in 2009 by WSU Press and includes all private, campus, and park work of the Olmsted firm in the Pacific Northwest at the turn of the 20th century. Copies of the book will be sold and signed.
Joan is a historian specializing in American garden and plant history. Her first book was The Gardens of San Francisco (Timber Press, Portland, 1988). Joan has served on the Washington Park Arboretum editorial board for almost a decade and she is a Friends of the Olmsted Parks board member.

The lecture is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Kruckeberg Botanic Garden at 206-546-1281

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Kruckeberg Plant of the Month

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Kruckeberg Botanic Garden Plant of the Month: Holly osmanthus (Osmanthus heterophyllus)  
By Sarah Baker, Kruckeberg Garden Directror
Special to the ShorelineAreaNews
 English Holly (Ilex aquifolium), with its glossy evergreen leaves and bright red berries, has been valued since ancient times for its beauty during the winter season. It became part of Solstice and Christmas celebrations, and as these traditions spread around the world holly maintained its prominence as a part of holiday décor. 
 
Holly may be a valued holiday tradition, but ecologically it’s a bit of a tragedy. Our Pacific Northwest climate is similar to its native range which allows it to thrive in our area. Birds eat the plentiful fruits, spreading them to our native forests and forest remnants in urban areas. The result is that English holly is now frequently found where it shouldn’t be; naturalizing in Puget Sound lowland forests.
 

If you have holly in your garden, consider a great alternative: Osmanthus heterophyllus. Also known as false holly or tea olive, osmanthus is a well-behaved holly look-a-like that generally stays where it’s planted. The leaves of this plant are so holly-like that the two plants are often confused. Unlike holly, however, osmanthus has noticeable and fragrant flowers that bloom in the late fall when little else does. This unusual timing means that the flowers are appreciated by hummingbirds, everyone’s favorite garden visitor. Dark blue/black fruits follow the flowers. 
Photo by Sten Porse
 

This tough and dependable shrub thrives at the Kruckeberg Botanic Garden with little or no care. It is drought tolerant, thrives in our shady woodland gardens, and works well as a screen along fences. We let it grow in its natural shape, though osmanthus responds well to heavy pruning and is a popular hedge plant. It grows at a moderate pace, eventually reaching a height of 8-10 feet.
Photo by wakanmuri 


It can be hard to replace a valued but villainous plant in your landscape. However, there are many great alternatives available when replacing English holly. Besides osmanthus, these include: 
 
• Tall Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium) – This tough native shrub lacks the robust shape of English holly, but has a similarly shaped and spiny evergreen leaf. In the spring it is covered with yellow flowers that form copious blue berries in late summer. 

Photo by nautical2k
 
• Hybrid hollies – Cultivars of the hybrid holly Ilex x meserveae are non-invasive, with lovely holly foliage and lots of red berries. However, because male and female flowers are on separate plants you must plant a plant of each gender to get berries. Thus, the cultivars have names like ‘Blue Boy’ and ‘Blue Girl’, ‘Blue Prince’ and ‘Blue Princess,’ and ‘China Girl’ and ‘China Boy’ that denote the plant’s gender.

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Kruckeberg Botanic Garden's Green Gifts Sale and Wreath Workshop

Monday, November 23, 2009


December 5 and 6, 10 am-3 pm

Kruckeberg Botanic Garden
20312 15th Ave NW, Shoreline 98177

This December 5 and 6, the Kruckeberg Botanic Garden celebrates the holiday season with its second annual Green Gifts Sale and Wreath Workshop. At the sale you'll find a wonderful selection of freshly-cut greens from the Garden to purchase for your holiday decor. Along with greens, we'll offer great gifts including decorative plant pots, container gardens, cards, crafts, gift certificates and gift Garden memberships. Proceeds support the Garden.

During the Wreath Workshop, to be held on December 6 from 1-3 pm, attendees will learn how to construct a wreath and make one from fresh greens to take home. The workshop fee is $25 per person, which includes all materials. To register, or for more information, email the Garden or call 206-546-1281.

Please note that the Garden is located in a residential area with limited parking. When visiting the Garden, please carpool or use alternative means of transportation if possible.

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Rake and Bake at Kruckeberg Gardens

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

November 15, 1 - 4 pm


The Kruckeberg Garden's many trees are wonderful, but they do make quite a mess in the fall. Help us clean up at our 4th annual Rake and Bake volunteer event! This event combines leaf raking with everyone's favorite thing - dessert. Drop in anytime between 1 pm and 4 pm to rake leaves and enjoy homemade goodies in the autumn scenery. Bring work gloves, a rake if you have one, and a dessert to share. The Garden is located at 20312 15th Ave NW, Shoreline. Contact the Garden for more details at 206-546-1281 or volunteer@kruckeberg.org.

Please note that the Garden in located in a residential area with limited parking. Please carpool or use alternate means of transportation if possible.

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