The hydrangeas still have me captivated with their color changes. A week away from the garden had more changes in store when I returned.
I harvested an armload for Brita to use at her jobs in Seattle.
Quick Fire, Pinky Winky and Shammrock will make their appearance in various restaurtants and businesses soon!
This new one called ‘Love’ has aged from a regular pink into this green & mauve double wonder. Imagine how great that would look in a flower crown or corsage – reduced of course to smaller florets. Looking forward to it getting old enough for me to harvest long stems.
Pinky Winky in it’s deepest tones is a show stopper – a sure way to brighten a gray day.
In mid-September we hosted a group of Northwest Horticulture Society members to a fall floral class. Starting with a long walk around the garden we discussed good cutting material focusing on a wide array of foliage – more often overlooked and not appreciated.
I liked hearing the women’s conversations as they worked saying they’d never given much thought to foliage before.
Brita worked her magic, even with little Jura sometimes with her, as she instructed her approach to flowers and seasonally appropriate material. With a large variety of material and some special items from the garden everyone made something they were happy with.
We ended the day with lunch and pie in the lathe house complete with fresh cucumber juice made from Tom’s productive garden.
It was a lovely day and thank-you to Gillian from the wonderful Ravenna Gardens for organizing the event. She is a delight to work with.
We recently hosted a wedding of two incredible craftspeople – Kaili and Victor. They are sitting under the amazing timber-framed trellis they made for their ceremony. It was placed inside the former nursery area with handcrafted benches all around for the guests.
Kaili is going to be teaching the nettle cordage class as well as the cedar bark basketry class in late October. Details of that class are below.
Both Kaili and Victor will be participating in this years Holiday Open House. Victor will have his beautiful wood turned pens for sale and Kaili will have a selection of her basketry for sale.
These two items are examples of Kaili’s work. We will wait to see what she is creating for the holiday market!
The pileated woodpecker has returned to the suet feeder hanging off the front porch. He/she had visited much earlier in the year as well as last year but it’s always an unexpected treat to see this enormous bird hanging on the small wire basket just outside the window. A fuzzy photo taken though the glass but at least you can see how close it is.
Fun stuff coming up with our nettle & cedar bark weaving classes along with Leah’s fantastic salad class. Then we swing into the holiday season with our always fresh and inspiring Holiday Open House November 29,30 & Dec 1, 7, 8 with many new vendors this year as well as Brita’s wreath class. There may be other delights in store for the open house as well!? Time will tell…
Nettle Cordage
Instructor~ Kaili Plummer-Slate
Saturday, October 26
1 pm ~ 3 pm
39.00 ~ includes all supplies and nettle tea, nettle pesto and gluten free crackers
Kaili will open your eyes to the many advantages of nettle as you learn how to make cordage from this useful and versatile plant. From the many health benefits of incorporating nettle into the diet, to the amazingly strong cordage you can create, you will see we are surrounded by a friend in the plant world that can enrich your life.
We will discuss the benefits of this amazing plant while sipping nettle tea and tasting nettle pesto with gluten free crackers.
You will learn the whole process – from the correct time of gathering the material as well as the method used to remove fibers for spinning. The fibers we actually use will be already prepared since it’s a multi-step process requiring time.
Nettle fiber is strong and was used by early europeans for clothing, shoes, and drag nets for fishing. Native Americans also used nettle for food, medicine and cordage. You will probably come away from this class a bit more patient with the stinging aspect and ready to incorporate it’s gifts to us.
You will be able to use this cordage for the cedar bark pouch you weave the next day if you choose to take both classes! It will look great with the cedar bark.
Cedar Bark Basket Pouch
Instructor ~ Kaili Plummer-Slate
Sunday, October 27
11 am ~ 4 pm
89.00 ~ includes all materials, lunch, beverages & pie
From cedar bark Kaili collected in Southeast Alaska, you will be given enough prepared material to weave a pouch shaped basket that will be attached to a cord, which will be provided, if not taking the nettle class the day before.
Kaili will also have un-prepped, but already harvested, cedar bark so you will learn the prep process as well as weaving the basket.
We will cover some of the many uses of this important Northwest native tree with examples of products made from this well-respected and useful tree.
A short power point will show other amazing baskets that have been made using the bark of cedar for both a sense of history and inspiration.
A warming lunch will be served which is always a hit at any of our classes and latter in the day we’ll enjoy Mary’s famous pie.
I’m so excited Kaili has moved to Whidbey with her many talents and look forward to offering more classes lead by this very amazing woman.
You won’t want to miss these two classes if you’re a fiber / basketry person.
Sensational Salads
Instructor Leah M Nguyen
Saturday, November 2
11 am ~ 1:30 pm
69.00 ~ includes all supplies, lunch & pie, recipes & dressing
Salads can be not only delicious and nutritious but, when well done, often become the favorite part of a meal when done with a twist most folks don’t think of. I’ve seen time and time again Leah’s salads being the most talked about part of a meal. With this class you too can feel comfortable and empowered to make amazing salads and dressing. From leafy greens to ‘hard’ salads made with crunchier vegetables and grains you will have many options to choose from.
Leah has always been a ‘salad master’ and she will start the class discussing what she calls ‘the philosophy of salad’. Once she clearly explains her approach you will be making a couple of different kinds of salads. Recipes for both the salads (with variations) & dressing recipes will have you feeling empowered to start on a path of creative delicious salad making. The use of herbs and lentils as well as toasted nuts and seeds will be included.
You will leave not only having had a delicious lunch and pie, but salad for 2 to take home with a jar of dressing.
Greens are just one option for incredible salads. Leah will explore what else awaits to broaden your outlook.
Come be surprised!
Wreath Making
Instructor Brita Fisher
Saturday, November 30
1 pm – 3 pm
69.00 – includes all supplies, hot beverages & homemade cookies
Brita is returning to teach her always popular wreath making class held on the first weekend of our annual Holiday Open House.
Join us Saturday afternoon in the covered hoop come rain, snow or sun!
Homemade grapevine wreath forms ( made from my grapes ) are provided as well as a wide selection of inspiring materials including greens, seed pods, cones, grass heads, eryngiums, lichen encrusted branches, brilliant moss and berries.
To keep your blood moving there is coffee or hot spiced cider as well as homemade cookies.
The fire pit will be going just outside the hoop house if you want to warm up. The potting shed, greenhouse & summer house will be in full swing with the Open House and all its treasures.
As you can see there are many options for wreaths in addition to the traditional green and red.
Brita has a couple of techniques to share with you so you never need to buy one of those clamping machines and you can reuse your lovely grape vine each year if desired.
You can arrive early if desired as the Holiday Open House opens at 10 am so you can check out all the fine goods from various artists and craftspeople this year – many new ones from last year. It’s bound to be a festive day!
Our whole family is hoping you can join us in a class and/or the Holiday Open House. Leah and Pasha will be there as well as Leah teaching the salad class in early November.
Much to celebrate despite the hard times. We live in a great community and are delighted to help bring talented people to share their wares and knowledge.
Happy Fall ~ enjoy the colors & birds!
Mary Fisher
Cultus Bay Gardens
7568 Cultus Bay Rd. Clinton, – Whidbey Island WA
360-579-2329
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