Hello garden friends, we made it. We certainly have more to do. I’ll leave that statement to your interpretation.
Ambiguity is not my forte’; I lean more toward overshare. With that, let me report on the garden and focus on the good things happening here. Top of the list for me is the new hoop house or propagation house currently being erected. What a gem! Huge thanks to the Woodinville Garden Club who funded this effort. Incredible gratitude to Walter Thompson, Chuck Ogburn, and Dean Weller for their skill and commitment to help us with this project. The staff gets some serious kudos for the heavy lifting as we spread ten yards of gravel. You ladies rock! This new addition will do so many things but mostly bring some consistency to our propagation and provide us with a cozy workspace.
We recently put up a Critter-Cam and captured our resident coyote. I know many are not fans of these wiley canids, but we are very grateful for their presence here in the garden. Rabbits have become a problem for us, and we’re hopeful that the predator-prey program is in good working order. (*Leans in and whispers conspiratorially* I found remains of a possum this morning.) As I said, rabbits are a nuisance for us of late, especially after our big bulb planting effort last fall. It turns out they like to eat the crocuses, bulbs and all. I have some descriptions for them, but let’s leave it at little devils.
Garden cleanup and preparations for the spring are well underway. Late winter bloomers such as witch hazel, silk tassel, and mahonia are beginning to wane, but signs of spring are everywhere with swelling buds, spring bulbs emerging, and hummingbirds building their nests. Snowdrops are evident in the garden. Our Trillium kurabayashii are getting ready to bloom in the entry garden accompanied by the Cornus mas. Be sure to visit regularly to watch the transformation in the coming weeks.
Sincerely,
Joseph Abken, Executive Director