February Director’s Note

Raise your hand if you have PTSD about snow in February? I feel confident that we have passed through the snowiest portion of our winter. (See how I didn't say 'no more snow?') This next week seems pretty mild and spring-like. I was outside all day on 'Sun'-day, working in my garden, basking in the [...]

2022-02-07T15:26:25-08:00February 7th, 2022|

Intern Spotlight – Hans Tietjen

Winter term brings us Hans Tietjen, from the Edmonds College Horticulture program. A graduate and now board member of the Nathan Hale horticulture program, Hans has brought his A-Game to the Kruckeberg Botanic Garden. I remember proposing this project to Hans and thinking no one would want this one. Hans proved me wrong and impressed [...]

2022-02-07T15:15:13-08:00February 7th, 2022|

January Director’s Note

       And just like that, it's 2022! I do love the Garden under a blanket of snow. The transformative nature of it turns the Garden into a completely different space. We did not sustain any notable damage from snow loads, and it served as a protective layer against the freezing temperature. Time will [...]

2022-01-07T11:57:24-08:00January 7th, 2022|

December Director’s Note

As with any year-end message, I had to go back and look at the previous year through posts and letters to remember where we've been. From hoop house construction to wildflowers in the Gorge, from after-school programs to summer camps, to epic plant sales in the spring, to summer concerts and a phenomenal fundraiser in [...]

2021-12-10T10:24:35-08:00December 10th, 2021|

Walt’s Notes from the Garden | November 2021

Highlights of the fall KBG garden After all of our rain and winds, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of color in the garden. Even small amounts stand out probably because they’re isolated from competing plants. Many plants are shrubs that got protected by the overstory but some are just downright tenacious! On [...]

2021-11-23T11:23:18-08:00November 23rd, 2021|

November Director’s Note

How quickly we find ourselves hurtling towards the winter months, the winding down of another year around the sun. From a gardener's perspective, we embrace the changes and appreciate the winding down of garden activity. Where some see the gloom of darkness, we have planted hope in the form of fall-planted bulbs, knowing that we [...]

2021-11-08T17:58:04-08:00November 8th, 2021|

Fall Edibles – Snowberry

Symphoricarpos albus - snowberry Strictly speaking, this one is for the birds! The white berries are edible but hardy flavorful. Even wildlife will leave them alone until everything else tastier is gone. Count this one as emergency food. On the bright side, enjoy the pearl white fruits long into the winter season on this [...]

2022-02-16T14:47:08-08:00September 30th, 2021|

Fall Edibles – Oregon grape

Mahonia (Berberis) aquifolium - Oregon grape We have two native Oregon grapes in the garden; you’ll see the lower one (M. nervosa) later on mixed in with some salal. Both produce nice crops of blue-black fruits if the fragrant yellow flowers earlier were pollinated. Although edible fresh off the plant, they taste somewhat acidic [...]

2021-09-30T13:38:32-07:00September 30th, 2021|

Fall Edibles – Western sword fern

Polystichum munitum - Western sword fern Most animals leave ferns alone but not crazy humans! What’s eaten here? The fiddleheads – the wonderful spiral of uncurling fronds in early spring. If clipped before it uncoils too much, the tips (croziers) are tasty with a crunchy nutty type of flavor. Try one or two next spring [...]

2021-09-30T13:36:15-07:00September 30th, 2021|

Fall Edibles – Salal

Gaultheria shallon - Salal These are easy fruits to love – dark blue to purple, juicy, sweet, and easy to pick whether on a field trip/hike or planning for homemade jam or jelly. Both the common name and the species name are a takeoff of a native North American name further east. It too [...]

2021-09-30T13:32:53-07:00September 30th, 2021|
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