Director’s Note February 2020

We’re a bit behind on getting this month’s letter out. There’s been no shortage of activity to take up our time. On February 5th, our state champion Prunus virginiana succumbed to old age. Planted in 1960, it had surpassed it’s anticipated lifespan by 20 years. While its departure is bittersweet, the open sky and improved light will transform this area as the spring and summer progress.  Our thanks to the City of Shoreline Parks Department for the rapid response and removal. Your support and partnership are invaluable.

Looking ahead at the coming year, it’s going to be a big year of change and development. For some, one particular change is more than bittersweet, it’s a piece of history and deeply personal. We have been preparing for the last few months to tear down the caretaker’s cottage. In the coming month, we will start to see progress around this effort with the city. Our goal is to have it done before the end of March. Eventually, we would like to replace the structure with ADA restrooms and a small storefront, but that is down the road at this point. Until then, we will fill it with nursery tables and plants, giving it a new purpose and providing our nursery stock with more sun.

Another development that has come our way, will be a new full-sized propagation hoop house. We owe a huge thanks for this generous gift from our friends at the Woodinville Garden Club. This will be a wonderful enhancement for our staff and the young plants we propagate here, not to mention that we will have one more workspace out of the weather. We will anticipate working on this project after the Mother’s Day Plant Sale. Stay tuned!

We also received a generous gift from the Friends of Edmonds in Bloom. Their contribution will allow us to install treated timber posts in the garden for hose reels. This will get the hoses off the ground and tidy up their presence for guests. These community efforts and contributions are the heart of our successes here at Kruckeberg Botanic Gardens. Thank you to these groups and those that have contributed in other ways.

Spring is just around the corner and we are hard at work preparing the nursery for our upcoming Spring Kick-off Sale on the weekend of March 27th. Thanks to our volunteer, John, we’re almost ready. He’s been chipping away at the old nursery tables repairing and replacing boards. Thanks, John!!!

There is no shortage of things to do! There is no limit to what we can accomplish when there is such strong community support! Thank you!!!

Sincerely,

Joseph Abken, Executive Director