A lady named Wendy. She does awesome containers!

I've been so out of the loop with NHS (Northwest Horticultural Society), but I have to mention their upcoming lecture at the Center for Urban Horticulture on Wednesday evening because my friend Wendy will be speaking on her forte, container planting design.



November 9, 2011
Container Confidential
Wendy Welch

Garden designer Wendy Welch shares what she has learned in 15 years of designing, installing and maintaining container gardens. Gorgeous plant combinations of trees, shrubs, conifers, perennials and annuals will inspire you. The dispelling of some long lived mythology about container culture — drainage, soils, water, fertilizer, longevity etc. will empower you to plant successful, sustainable container gardens.

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Wendy has earned a huge reputation as one of the Northwest's best container designers. Her work can be seen all over the Seattle metropolitan area and has been featured at local nurseries, the Northwest Flower and Garden Show and she is a fellow part time faculty member at Edmonds Community College where she teaches container design.

What I love about Wendy is her perky personality, her familiarity with both hardscape materials AND plants, her concern for the environment and looking for ways to move forward to meet the demands and desires of her clients. She also uses color well. My most favorite thing about her is what I love about most garden folks is her willingness to share her love, her craft and her vast knowledge and experiences with others. This is key for our industry.




So, you've gotta see her talk on Wednesday and check out some of her beautiful work and get some wonderful ideas for your container plantings with winter!!


R

A Young Chelsea Designer: Sarah Price

Before I flood this blog of all things Chelsea and UK horticulture, I want to shed some light on a young lady I had the pleasure of meeting at tonight's NHS lecture. While she wasn't at Chelsea this year, she's sort of a veteran with two previous gardens under her belt at the show and numerous other noteworthy projects.



Sarah Price is a landscape designer from the UK that's very quickly rising in the ranks, and according to fellow garden writer, Marty Wingate, she's only 29 y/o. We might be wrong, but she's definitely a youngin'!.

She came to speak about her design process and showcase some of the incredible work. Her list of accomplishments and high profile projects is unbelievable: She's designed 2 gardens for the Chelsea Flower Show, has won a gold medal at the Hampton Court Flower Show (another show I MUST see when I return to the UK!) and one of her current projects entails being a plant consultant for the landscaping being installed for the 2012 Olympic Games in London!


A design for the Chelsea Flower Show.

One of my missions being able to come to the Chelsea Flower Show this year was to observe potential up and coming gardeners. Sarah seems to define what I began to observe and she's just one of many who could lead and continue on a grand tradition that's just so much more recognized and respected over there in England.


The first garden she designed. Not too shabby, eh?

Sarah struck me as a humble, fairly composed young lady with a very strong art backround that she uses to great effect in her design and even in her random doodles, which she wasn't afraid to share even though she claims that they weren't very good, were actually very constructive and quite useful and elegantly done. Her emphasis on "the process" was great to see. Often young designers, or even seasoned professionals always what the high impact image of a "before and after", but seeing preliminary sketches and drafts of her work were actually very interesting.



Getting to chat with her afterwards, I think I might have overdone it with the enthusiasm as I was just so pleased to meet and see someone my age be so successful, talented, yet she also possessed a shyness and apprehensiveness that makes her a real 20-something year old who has a lot of room to develop and grow.

Some may argue, "too much too soon", but if you've got the experience, the drive, the talent and the work ethnic to pull off a veteran project, why not?! Her style is quite natural and she uses the open meadow effect with mass plantings intermixed with various forms and textures and there's a light and airy quality to it that's pleasing to the eye. She uses plants that are relatively common, but again, to great effect.



I wish her luck as they continue building the London 2012 site and I hope she visits the NW again so she can visit the mountains and natural areas here, visit more gardens and meet more of her fellow next generation gardeners!

R

Busy last few days and travel ahead

Man, do I love what I do! Thursday and Friday of last week was just crazy! A long anticipated lecture by a world renowned plantsman and the first of several fall plant sales took place and as much as I love and look forward to events like these, they can certainly be stressful and there are times where I begin to ask, "Is it still worth the time and energy":

So, here's my humble booth at thie year's NHS Fall Plant Sale held in Magnussen Park. The banner looked great, my new signs were clearly visible and informative, but the plants didn't fly off the tables as fast as I would of liked them to. The first day, Friday, was great in that the sun came out and everyone was so eager to get in and shop. However, I was still pricing plants, taping signs to wood stakes, deciding where things should go, making last minute decisions about offering certain things that didn't look so great after being unloaded from the car, being asked to remove my sign to use another type of tape for the walls, while at the same time I had to be a salesman and a robotic plant encyclopedia for people. Then there are the familiar faces, the friends and colleagues who want to catch up and know about "how EVERYTHING is going". It really can be quite overwhelming, but I know deep down I'm truly enjoying myself.

Events like this have always been a way to get myself and my plants out there for people to see. However, this sale really made me think about the 40% I "sacrifice" for being in such a setting. It's a considerable about of money NHS (and the Arboretum Foundation) takes, but where else would I be able to be in a large crowd of avid and enthusiastic gardeners willing to buy my product. Onsite sales at Landwave are almost non-existent becaue the garden is in such terrible shape and my house situation makes me almost close my entire operation all together. So, I guess I don't have much of a choice.

The previous night, however, was one I will definitely remember for a long long time.

In anticipation of Roy Lancaster's talk for the Miller Foudation Lecture Series, I was joined by a fellow "Next Generation Gardener" who sort of appeared out of nowhere. His knowledge, experience, enthusiasm, and unparalled charisma leads me to think that he has the potential to be an icon in Pacific Northwest horticulture. Yes, and his scruffy good looks is an advantage.

Matthew Berberich (I keep typing and thinking of Berberis, when I write out his last name) is his name. He lives and runs his own professional gardening business over in the Olympic peninsula and every now and then, he hops over to this side of the pond to attend classes, workshops, and special events. We actually met at CUH when I was out gardening and he joked that I was very late in spring clean-up with a large Kniphofia at work and he was giving me shit about it. Then we started to chat plants and the rest was history!

Incredible experiences his guy has: He is a graduate of the program at the highly renowed and fabulous (so I've heard and only seen in videos and photos) Longwood Gardens, he interned at the former Heronswood Nursery in Kingston, and he's travelled to New Zealand and lived there for 6 months! He's a baby at 29 (okay so two years from fetal Riz) and is engaged to be married (sorry ladies...and gentlemen!), but what a character he is. He's like the long lost gardening buddy I've always fantasized about! The one you'd go on roadtrips with to nurseries or up in the mountains botanizing and wrestle for the chance to see a rare and illusive plant. And the one to bitch to when your Cytisus battandieri refuses to bloom.

So, I picked up Matt from the ferry to attend the Roy Lancaster lecture and boy was it excellent. Mr. Lancaster was such a warm and pleasant speaker and some of the plants he showcased were just to die for! I had an opportunity to meet him to sign a copy of his book and also give him my card. Not sure what good that will do as I don't expect to hear from him ever, but I thought it was a professional gesture in the hopes that he might see my name again.

There will be more opportunities to meet renowned and wonderful plantspeople in just a few hours as I'm headed to Raleigh, North Carolina for the Garden Writer's Association annual conference. I hope to see some familiar faces and be introduced to many new ones as The Next Generation Garden heads east for the first time in his life hoping to make a great impression in that part of the country.

Wish me luck!

Riz

Fall Plant Sales...Landwave Style

I feel it. I totally feel it!

It's that crisp cool air in the morning when I step out the door. The cotton candy scent of Katsura gently teasing my nose....

and the realization that I have a buttload of plants I need to move because I ain't overwintering this crap. "NEEDS TO GO....NEEDS TO GO" says one Bon Qui Qui. (Mad TV parody joke, sorry)

ok...switching gears for a moment....you must check out this skit:


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Heheh..seriously though, it's that time of year when the rains have finally started here and there, the soil is slightly more saturated than before and in a few weeks, FALL PLANTING WILL BE IN FULL SWING!

This means specialty nurseries will be getting their best plants to offer and sell at one of many local fall plant sales on the hort calendar:



First one comes this weekend at the Bellevue Botanic Gardens with NPA (Northwest Perennial Alliance) selling a wide assortment of perennials from the borders.
Saturday, September 12, 11 am - 3 pm

Then NEXT week, I'll be vending plants at the much anticipated NHS (Northwest Horticultural Society) plant sale.

Friday, Sept. 18, 12-6:30pm
Saturday, Sept. 19, 9am-3pm
Warren G. Magnuson Park
7400 Sand Point Way, Seattle


Then there's the popular Fall Bulb and Plant Sale at the Arboretum's Grahams Visitor Center that I'll try and attend as well:

Sunday, October 4, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Monday, October 5, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.


My cousin has been the mastermind in helping me brand myself as I move forward with my horticultural endeavors. A few months back, we collaborated on my logo, designed my business card, and now I've asked him to compose a banner for me take with me when I attend and take part in local plant sales.



For someone who's not really a plant person, he has a very keen eye as he went through a few photos I selected as the background for the banner. This was his first composition and immediately, we both liked it.

I hope you all like it as well as it will hang on the edge of my table at local plant sales from now on.

Brownie points for anyone who can guess what plant he used as the background for my banner!


Riz

P.S. I wonder if I'm more like Bon Qui Qui, I can boost my nursery sales calling out "SE-KUR-ITY!!" if they refuse to buy a plant from me. Don't make me "CUT-CHU!"!! =)

Pulling out of the NHS Meet the Board Tour

Having been persuaded to take part once again for this much anticipated garden tour for the Northwest Horticultural Society, I thought it'd be another great opportunity to share my work and sell my many rare and select plants! I've set aside a lot of things in my life to pursue my horticultural endeavors, but a family event has forced me to withdraw from this year's "Meet the Board" Tour.

Yes, I'm disappointed, but honestly, I'm also a bit relieved. It's been such a busy summer season and the weather has been quite punishing to the garden and nursery. I've been watering, but with no irrigation system, I simply couldn't keep up.


My poor Katsura is destined for early dormancy this year.


Already in dryish shade, this plant bounces back after a good drink, but it looks horrible when deprived of water.


The very first tree I planted in Landwave after seeing it at Washington Park Arboretum. It's getting taller each year and the leaves are getting larger and larger and more prone to sun scorch!

You know, it doesn't help to always focus on the negative, there are parts of the garden that I really wish people could see!



Lilies are absolutely stunning in morning light.


As are the ornamental grasses.


Echinops are doing very well this year. They must love the heat and intense light and look spectacular with Lilium 'Contrast'.


The ever vigorous 'Scheherazade' is in full bloom and again, backlit by the morning sun, looks marvelous!

Not quite the same as visiting the garden and fully appreciating these plants, but sort of eases the sting of not being able to share this with a large group of people.


Cheers,

Riz

Teaching

I never thought I'd reach a point in my career where teaching would be a key element in my repertoire of skills. Is it the wealth of information that I'm immersed in that I'm just eager to share or is it the prestige of being known as an "authority" on a particular subject or topic that drives me. I feel like its a combination of both including the simple fact that I simply love what I do and I want people to take notice!

I had two teaching stints last week that went over very well. I'm teaching again at Edmonds Community College this quarter sharing my thoughts and experiences with "Plant Collectors of the Pacific Northwest" and I had a one time gig teaching a basic plant propagation class through the Northwest Horticultural Society. Both happened on the same day, so you can imagine the tension of running around, getting materials and making sure things well (notice how I refrained from saying "according to plan"). LOL

My class at Edmonds is a field-trip-based course that explores several private gardens to see first hand how rare and select garden plants are utilized in a diversity of garden settings. They have an opportunity to meet these gardeners and learn about their approach towards collecting plants and maintaining them. The first two class sessions were the most challenging as I had them all in a classroom for lectures I scrambled to get together. Overall, despite being a new course that I basically just pulled out of my behind, it seemed to be well received and I felt confident with the information I was able to relay to them. I know certain areas could use more emphasis, but for a trial run, it wasn't too bad.

Now, the class is all field trips, an assignment for each one and a final report.
While I can breath a sigh of relief, there's still lots of work to do to make sure the garden tours run smoothly and that the students are completing their assignments and actually paying close attention to details rather than just strolling along for a pleasant walk through someone's garden.

Our first garden took us to Everett to the garden of Mary and Don Hale. Without ranting on about how lovely their garden was and what wonderful people they were to be around with, I'm going to let my photos speak for themselves.


The students gather as Mary begins a tour of her fabulous garden. Immediately, I was drawn by the stunning weeping willow in the background.


These are most of my students. Yes, they're all older than me! lol


Not only does Mary have a wonderful selection of plants, she pays attention to how they're placed in her garden. This is a fairly steep slope planting with many woody and herbaceous perennials.

Immediately, one plant that caught my eye was that stunning stand of sultry white.


This is Galega x hartlandii 'Alba'. Mary mentioned that it was the cultivar 'Lady Wilson', but my online research shows "Mrs. Wilson" as being a pale lavender pink. Whatever the name, it is absolutely striking and so gently fragrant, it is truly captivating to me.


Being there in the early evening, we were treated to some lovely lighting effects as the sun set.

And that willow....oh wow...I took a few minutes to just sit on the lawn, relax and take in a breath of fresh air to appreciate this image:



Mary took us all around her extensive garden and I was so impressed with her tour and the way she guided my students. She is a retired teacher and the way several of my students just hung on to her every word as she very kindly answered questions and directed our attention towards certain features of their garden was inspiring.



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Before that trip, I has a much smaller, more intimate group that gathered at the infamous Dunn Garden here in North Seattle. It is a private estate garden that's usually open during special events and tours, but somehow, NHS board member and former president, Nita-Jo Rountree managed to convince executive director Sue Nevler and curators Glenn Withey and Charles Price to hold my plant propagation class in their grounds. Boy, what a treat it was and the weather was absolutely perfect.


Photo by Nita-Jo Rountree


Glenn and Charles kindly gave the students a tour of the beautiful gardens they helped design and maintain and just as an added perk, an art exhibition was being installed! While I'm a bit skeptical about garden art, the borders and plantings were exceptional:






They do some of the most amazing containers


One of my most favorite ferns (Polystichum setiferum divisilobum 'Plumoso-Multilobum' used beautifully with a stone sculpture and ornaments.



By far the most stunning specimen is Pachystegia insignis from New Zealand. Lovely felt-like silvery foliage and pretty white dandelion like flowers.


Another striking container composition this time using Astelia 'Silver Spears'


A stunning Pansy-faced Pelargonium called 'Oldbury Duet' that caught Nita-Jo's eyes. Glenn and Charles kindly let me take a cutting.

It really is remarkable what you can learn from touring gardens. Just being in these kinds of settings really brings out a lot of positive energy and inspired knowledge that I'm more than eager to share to those who care to see and listen.


Riz

Dan's New Book:

So many of us plant geeks are eagerly anticipating the launch of Dan Hinkley's new book in his "The Explorer's Garden" series. "Shrubs and Vines" follows up his highly successful, "Rare & Unusual Perennials".



While I'm looking forward to seeing what he's been rushing to pull together these past few years, I just have to say, "What's with the cover?!" This and the paperback version of "Rare & Unusual Perennials" have his photo of Dan that, I don't know, just doesn't quite capture the grandeur of who he is as a plantsman and the incredible work over the years; the impact of what he's done for the horticultural world.

I think it's great that Dan is right there so people can see who he is and what he does, but it looks sort of thrown together like a high school memory scrapbook that sits inside a box buried in a pack rat's garage. My apologies to the graphic layout artists, or Dan, or Lynne, but I think it could have been done a little better. Hey, I might grow to like it, but that was just my initial reaction.

Anyway, it's what inside that counts, right? I am absolutely thrilled to find out which plants he discusses and I'm also stoked about the photography taken by Dan himself and, my friend, Lynne Harrison.

I guess part of this excitement stems from my experience of actually getting to explore with this renowned plantsman. In the fall of 2004, I had an opportunity to team up with Dan to collect seeds and plants in NE Sichuan Province. You can check out my journal and pics from the trip here.


On May 27, the Northwest Horticultural Society is holding a fundraiser that benefits the Miller Horticultural Library to launch Dan's new book.

There will be a silent auction (where I'll have a superb collection of plants up for bid), a BRAND SPANKIN' NEW lecture by Dan and, of course, a book signing.
Ooh ohh, there will be hors d'oeuvres and wine.

The event will be held at the UW Botanic Gardens - Center for Urban Horticulture. Tickets are $35, benefactor tickets are $200. For reservations email nwhort@aol.com or call Karin Kravitz at 206-780-8172

The library is really needing everyone's support at this time because of the major budget cuts all of UWBG has been forced to take.

This will be the first opportunity to look at and buy this book.

See you there!