- New class listing – June 25th – Softening Trauma with Rose – top of email
- Garden Tour Class – July 16th – top of email
- Pickapecka Produce (Tom Fisher) – tomatoes & peppers to be for sale
- Viburnums to grow
- Looking for more artists for Summer Market – July 30 & 31
Glorious May – the month of columbines and viburnums and the beginning of roses in bloom.
I’m happy to announce the return to Whidbey of an old friend and herbalist, Erin Vanhee, who is coming to lead a class – Softening Trauma with Rose.
I’ve known Erin for over 35 years and used to carry her herbs when I first started the nursery. She has stayed true to her path of working with plants for health and healing. She teaches at her school Trillium Medicine in Burlington.
The class will also include making rose petal beads, so it will be a nice balance to the trauma work. And of course the much needed and enjoyable tea. coffee and pie will be part of the afternoon.
Don’t forget about the Garden Tour class on July 16th class at both of these creative women’s homes – mother and daughter, Sandy Olson and Sarah Slovensky. A portion of the class fees will go to support Whidbey Island Nourishes and Sarah’s new line of pottery may even make an appearance when we have our tea coffee and pie!
Pickapeckapepper Produce
Tom in tomato greenhouse
While I concentrate on the ornamental gardens, Tom has expanded his vegetable growing so he can sell tomatoes and peppers latter this year. Pickapecka Produce has been hatched and I’ll let you know when the goods are in the farm stand and stay tuned to IG for updates. There will be a few other produce items as well.
Pepper greenhouse – both sweet and hot peppers
Viburnums to Grow
Viburnum Summer Snowflake – a columnar grower
May is just awash in the beauty of viburnums – many of which get so large they could be used as a small tree in a garden. As I wandered around photographing the viburnums in my yard, I felt especially fortunate to have enough space to not have to select one or two. So many shrubs I adore get very large.
Viburnum plicatum ssp. plicatum – originally purchased from Dan Hinkley in 1989
Still one of my favorite of the viburnums is this stunning double file, with the popcorn ball flowers held abundantly on the arching branches. It grows on the west side of the house and gets very filtered light with the yew hedge that backs it and the katsura tree nearby, but when I first planted it she got plenty of sun.
Viburnum ‘Kern’s Pink’
Still a very small plant after much abuse from the deer munching or rubbing on it, but this year its flowers are top notch. I think I may have to find more of these beauties so Brita will have enough to pick from!
Looking for a few more artists – Juried – send photos and /or references
Leah Nguyễn of Planet Paint People – summer 2021
Megan Kroh of Love Light Flower Farm – summer 2021
Looking for artists!
The Summer Arts & Crafts Market is held July 30 & 31 this year.
I’m still looking for a few more artists to bring a wide selection of high quality goods for all to enjoy. Let me know if you know of someone that might be a good fit for this market.
New born faun
Yesterday Tom saw the mom and baby and she trotted off when he came closer. The little one was left for a few hours before she came back to retrieve it. Incredible how animals can have no scent to protect the young.
Hope to see you in one of the upcoming classes – the indigo class is sold out now.
Mary Fisher
Cultus Bay Gardens
Whidbey Island
www.cultusbaygardens.com
@cultusbaygardens