Home of Sandy and Mike Olson – part of the garden tour class in July
Pardon the tardiness of the April Newsletter! I’ve been having many computer issues.
I have been trying to figure out why some can’t view the photos immediately.
Turns out it’s a feature Apple has added for privacy reasons, so IF you view this from an IPhone or IPad, you’ll need to click on the blank space where the photo should be, and it will come into view. A pain in the neck for sure.
Barb Schlitz incredible nutritionist & cook
A reminder ~ we have an amazing class coming up on May 21st taught by Barb Schlitz – a nutritionist, consultant, WIN volunteer and creator of many recipes for both Dr Jeffrey Bland and Dr Mark Hyman. We are incredibley lucky to have this talented woman whose helped those famous men get where they are! ( That’s just my opinion )
The topic is yummy gluten free and sugar free cooking, using some of the amazing sugar subsitutes. Barb will donate her fees to Whidbey Island Nourishes too!
Taught in her spacious home kitchen, right near Cultus Bay Gardens. Click the link below to register and read more. You can always register for any classes directing on the website – www.cultusbaygardens
Tasty & Healthy – Cooking Gluten & Sugar Free
Another class that’s coming up on July 16th is INSPIRED GARDENERS – Sandy & Sarah
It will be a garden tour with this mother / daughter duo, who have two distinctly different gardens. They will share their interests and process of creating gardens, as well as issues encountered with an older garden.
Sandy & Mike Olsons garden is 30 years old. Sarah & Will Slovensky built their house and gardens in the past three years. Sarah is an artist, so finds much inspiration from the flowers she grows, which are reflected in her embroidery and paintings.
Garden of Sandy Olson – part of the Garden Tour class in July
A grevillia in Sarah Slovensky’s garden – one of her favorite genus of plants.
Sarah, Sandy and I will interact on this guided garden tour. I think it will be an inspiring and educational class for those who love their gardens, those that want to make them easier to care for, and those looking for new ideas. I have been designing gardens for clients for many years, as well as helping people make good plant choices when they came to my nursery over the years, so this class will be very fun for those who are nuts for plants.
Epimedium ‘Domino’
This striking evergreen epimedium starts the growing seaon off with these deep burgandy leaves which gradually get spotted. As you can see on some of the other leaves have a mottled effect and eventually age to a solid green. Elongated leaves add drama to the garden – the long spurred buff pink flowers are icing on the cake. A new favorite for me.
Olympic Double Salmonberry
This rare double flowering native was discovered on the Olympic peninsula, I believe in the 1960’s ( happy to be corrected on this ) and makes some random mediocre fruits, but who cares as the rose like flower is what the fuss is about. I’m happy to share with other gardeners if they have a spot for this unusual plant in their garden. It does run – no surprise.
Gosslings on the pond guarded on each side by the parents
Robin has chosen a less than ideal spot of her nest
Right on top of a step ladder leaning against a front porch – easy access for racoons. It may well be the same Robin who built on top of a truck tire – also in plain view and close to the ground. That nest got predated, probably by a racoon. We’ll see how long this one lasts.
Brown Creeper nest ( looking top down into nest ) behind the bark of a tree snag. – Collection of Burke Museum 1925
Same nest from above – notice the 1/2 circular hole at bottom left
Excavation of bark to create hole for the nesting Brown Creeper – Burke Museum
I’m working for a client how who mentioned she was not particularly fond of the snags on her property. Of course my mind went to the many birds I know that nest in snags and the incredible nests I get to see at the Burke Museums collection when I volunteer there. The diversity of sizes, locations, materials – and the eggs, oh the eggs are just a marvel! So I ask you to leave the snags on your land as so many birds and insects depend on them for homes. There’s a housing crisis – lets do our part to reduce it.
Cultus Bay Gardens will also be hosting two garden concerts put on by Whidbey Island Music Festival this summer.
July 23rd & August 6th ~ hold those dates if you love classical music. Tekla Cunningham & Steven Stubbs loved the acoustics of the front porch for their concert last year so they and others and will be returning to delight us again. You’ll be able to bring a folding chair or blanket and sit on the front lawn as you enjoy heavenly music. Tickets are not available yet but mark your calendar.
Sunset Fern – Dryopteris lepidopoda
One of the great new plants for a job I’m working on now. Lovely to be able to weave these into the landscape. That stunning new growth color will mellow out but what a show it is. Generally evergreen but depends on the winter – always good to clean it up in early spring.
The original W.I.N.bags!
Since many of our classes have a percentage of money being donated to W.I.N. (Whidbey Island Nourishes ) thought I’d share with you the core group of women who launched this incredibly strong and vital non-profit. From left to right: Mary Fisher, Shirley Collins ( aka Ms. Sur la Table), Dorit Zingarelli and Jonni Reed.
We worked together for many years, after I was horrified to find there were homeless teens trading their precious bodies for food or a place to sleep. With the constant support of these amazing women and many, many other volunteers W.I.N. has gone on to make nutritious sack lunches for food insecure kids on South Whidbey for 14 years. The program continues to be place where good work is done, and many women find new long-lasting friendships while cutting up carrot sticks, making sandwiches, bagging ingredients or delivering lunches. Truely a WIN / WIN situation. Men also are welcome but few in this group of carers.
Shirley’s witty and supportive husband, Alf, gave us the name W.I.N.bags since we made bagged lunches. We rather took to it.
It’s lovely to be able to continue to support what we so believe in and worked so hard for.
I’ll leave you with this delightfully painted detail from a farm stand on Vashon Island. Wonderful bouquets are offered at Maggies Farm stand which is on SW Cove Rd.
Our Summer Arts and Crafts Market is scheduled for July 30 & 31.
At this time there is ONLY one space left in July’s Indigo Gathereing Weekend.
Dig deep ~ there are always more weeds to pull.
Mary Fisher
Cultus Bay Gardens
Whidbey Island
@cultusbaygardens
@maemaesew