August has been an eventful month and now I’m getting to do a large party to celebrate a wedding. Such fun to have such a vast palette of flowers to work with.
Barb Schiltz and Dorit Zingarelli have helped do the flowers – fun team!
A few huge arrangements with sunflowers, grass heads, marigolds, baptisia foliage and crested ferns will create the backdrop for photos.
Hiking at Rainer again with family was a highlight and getting to see more of the incredible wild flowers at the base of the mountain, as well as lovely lakes.
The last hike the white erythroniums were the highlight and this time this incredible gentian was the heart-stopper.
Paintbrush flowers still going strong.
The shaded moist woodlands had this stunning Corydalis scouleri I’d never seen before. About 4 feet tall and done blooming, we were able to find this remnant of a flower to help with ID. The foliage would be reason enough to grow this beauty.
Delightful blue butterflies added to the charm and beauty of the mountain hike.
Erin Vanhee packed our day with so much information on herbal medicine making. From the perennials in the garden, to wild plants, she opened many minds to the abundance of what grows around and how they can benefit us. She’s one of the best teachers I’ve been around. Many thanks to her for driving here from the Cascades where she teaches herbal classes.
Elin Noble returns for a day long Shibori & Indigo Dye class on September 17th.
Elin is a first class teacher and literally goes all over the world teaching and showing her art work. You’ll be amazed what you get out of one of her classes and we are super lucky she lives on Whidbey and likes to teach here!
There is still room in the class and you can sign up / read more with this link.
October 7 & 8 will be an incredible experience with Alissa Allen of Mycopigments coming here to teach a two day class in dying with mushroom and lichens.
We are so fortunate Alissa is able to teach again and there are only 2 spots remaining in this incredible class. With so much interest she is probably going to add a gathering walk into this class. I can’t wait to see the amazing colors we get from our forest friends.
It’s such a relief that the rains have started after this very dry summer. I’m certainly rethinking my watering methods and what I’ll be adding to my gardens as we head into more heat and drier summers with global warming.
After a very successful Summer Arts & Crafts Market I’ve started daydreaming about our Winter Market and have some new folks lined up. I’ve also started making my favorite ornaments to sell. If you know of someone that make high quality crafts or art tell them to contact me. I’m interested in seeing new work but we do have limited space. I strive to keep quality high and a bit different.
Hope you enjoy the changing colors of fall that are already starting in my garden.
Mary Fisher
www.cultusbaygardens.com
7568 Cultus Bay Rd
Whidbey Island
Clinton WA 98236