Garden Events & Classes

EVENTS

February 17-19 - 2012 Yard, Garden & Patio Show! (Portland)—Showcase gardens, plant sales, educational displays, free seminars, garden art, wine and beer, live music, kid's activities, and you'll find every imaginable supplier of garden goodness at the Oregon Convention Center, Friday and Saturday, 10am-7:30pm and Sunday, 10am-5pm.

February 23, 4-7pm - Springfest 2012, Fresh to You Produce & Garden Center (Stayton)—Join us to celebrate Spring! Food, wine, door busting specials!

February 25 (9-5) & 26 (10-4)— Winter Bloomers Open House, Dancing Oaks Nursery (Monmouth)—Come out to enjoy the brave bulbs, perennials and shrubs that are beginning to give cheer to our hearts with their color and delight our noses with their sweet scent. Tasty morsels and tea served in the Pavilion.

March 9 – Plant Nerd Night—Start the garden season with this fun event hosted by Mike Darcy. Hear presentations and buy plants from six specialty nurseries. Entertainment by the Chorus of the Goddess Flora, door prizes, refreshments, mingle with other gardeners, and have fun! Get there early, this event has traditionally drawn capacity crowds. Doors open at 6pm; presentations begin at 7pm. Lake Bible Church, 4565 Carman Drive, Lake Oswego.

March 9 and 10, 9am-1pm – Marion SWCD 10th Annual Native Plant Sale (Gervais)—The Marion Soil and Water Conservation District native plant sale encourages people to use native plants in their yards, on their farms, or at their businesses. Proceeds from the Native Plant sale fund two scholarships for students studying Natural Resources. Over 80 plant species will be available and prices range from $1.50-$8.00. Sale is held Bauman Farms (12989 Howell Prairie Rd, Gervais). More info can be found at http://marionswcd.net/districtevents.html.

CLASSES (unless noted, classes are free)

February 18
- 10:30am-12:30pm – Design Your Own Indoor Garden, Red Ridge Farms (Dayton)—Use exotic air plants to create an indoor garden. The plants are fun, unusual, easy to care for and come in an amazing array of shapes, colors and sizes. Class fee: whatever plants and suppliers you pick (an assortment of sizes and prices to choose from). Reservations required; call 503-864-8502 or register online. Class includes instruction, design ideas and refreshments. 10% off any additional purchases made the day of class.

- 11am – Mason Bees, Farmington Gardens (Beaverton)—Learn about Mason bees and what they can do for your garden. Please register to attend by calling 503-649-4568 or email their event staff with your name, phone number, and how many people will be attending.

February 21, 7pm - 2012 Gen(i)us Series: Epimediums, The Hardy Plant Society of Oregon-- Norm Jacobs and Deb Javeson will discuss the use of Epimediums in the garden and ideas on where and how to plant them. Cost: Fee: $5, pay at the door. All are welcome, need not be a member to attend.

February 22, 6-7:30pm – Plan a Productive Garden with Oregon Tilth—Spring is right around the corner and it's time to start planning your vegetable garden. What will you grow? How much should you plant? Which varieties will perform best? Attend this class to learn practical planning techniques for selecting seeds, optimizing space, and increasing harvests. Maximize your bounty by applying new space-saving strategies in your home garden. Cost: $25. Sellwood Community Center, 1436 SE Spokane St. Classes are presented by the City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability. Register at www.portlandonline/bps/ugb.

February 23, 1pm – Tea Time! Bauman Farms (Gervais)—Cost $20. Call or email to RSVP!

February 25
- 10am-noon - Fruit Tree Pruning & Maintenance, Terra Gardens Nursery & Bark (Salem)—For more information on this class please call 503-581-0441.

- 10am - Living Wreaths, Al's Garden Center (Sherwood location)—Make your own living wreath from succulents in this hands on workshop. Registration is required and space is limited to 25 people. To register call Al's in Sherwood 503-726-1162. Cost: $45.00 per kit, which makes 1 wreath.

- 10am - GO BIG with Miniatures:Fairy Gardens & Mini-scapes, Dennis' 7 Dees (Seaside location)--
- Learn about the miniature garden trend and make your own to enjoy this spring! Feel free to bring your own container of choose from a variety available at the store. A new shipment of miniature garden accessories just arrived. Cost: $25 fee (can be used toward your purchases for your project or to purchase a finished garden). Register online.

- 10am (SE Powell loction) & 2pm (Cedar Hills location) – Introduction to Bonsai, Dennis' 7 Dees—Learn about the History and fundamentals of Bonsai and see a Bonsai demonstration, including walking the nursery in search of suitable Bonsai subjects. The instructor will help participants select their own material to get started and review with them the process to start transforming their own Bonsai. Register online.

- 10:30am lecture & 11:30am Tour – Good Dirt on Fruit Pruning, Garden Fever! (Portland)—Glen Andresen, organic urban gardening expert, has got some good dirt for you on caring for berries and fruit. Pruning techniques for fruit shrubs and vines, with special focus on Blueberries and Grapes. The best organic methods for the sustainable urban produce garden. After the lecture, there will be a tour of Glen's home garden, one and a half miles from the store.

- 1-2:30pm - Early Spring Vegetables, Portland Nursery (Division Street location)—Get your vegetable garden started with early spring crops! Join Marc Boucher-Colbert, of Urban Agriculture Solutions LLC, to learn all about growing crops like potatoes, onions, garlic, asparagus, and other cool season vegetables. Marc will provide expert tips and techniques for nudging the season into early production. He will discuss how to prepare your soils for specific crops, planting tips and timing, how often/when to fertilize and water, the benefits of season extenders, and much more! Click here to register for this class.

- 1pm - Summer Bulbs in Your Garden, Portland Nursery (Stark Street location)—From fluffy banks of cheery little dahlias to towering, fragrant lilies, summer bulbs can fill many niches in your garden and your vase. Learn when and how to plant the bulbs and care for them to get their best performance, and design tips so they can really work with the rest of your plants for a spectacular floral summer. Click here to register for this class.

- 1pm – Early Spring Vegetables, Tsugawa Nursery (Woodland, Wash.)—Learn what's good to grow and good to eat.

February 26
- 1-2:30pm - Vegetable Gardening 101, Portland Nursery (Division Street location)—In this introductory level workshop, Tim Lanfri, of Community Garden Creators, will discuss the basics of soil amending, crops selection, plant spacing, timing your plantings, selecting the best varieties, watering, and much more! Tim will demystify growing your own food and share his tips and techniques for beginner success!
Click here to register for this class.

- 1pm - Orchids as Houseplants, Portland Nursery (Stark Street location)—Orchids are so diverse, and some are easier to grow than others. In our climate, only a very few are outdoor plants, so many people grow them as houseplants or in greenhouses. Michael will give a basic introduction to choosing and growing the easiest orchid varieties for success. Click here to register for this class.

March 3
- 10am – Building Ponds & Waterfalls, Hughes Water Gardens (Wilsonville)—Learn how to design and construct natural rock water features using a flexible liner.

- 10am – Learn to Prune Like the Pros, Dennis 7 Dees (Seaside location)—Learn the ins and outs of pruning, from dormant pruning of perennials in the winter to opening up Japanese maples that turn them from ordinary to priceless. Registration required.

- 11am (Cedar Hills & Lake Oswego) - Fairy Gardens, Mini Gardens & Mini-scapes, Dennis 7 Dees—Learn about this new, fun planting project. Class will include selection of containers, appropriate small plants to use (indoors or out), design ideas as well as care and maintenance for your creations. Be among the first to see some great new ideas and inventory for 2012. Cost: $25 (can be used toward your purchases for your project or to purchase a finished garden). Register online.

- 1-2:30pm - Raising Chickens in the City, Portland Nursery (Division Street location)—If you are curious about raising chickens in the city but aren't quite sure what to expect, this is the class for you! Join expert Peter Porath, of Oregon Peeps Unlimited, and get all the information you need to successfully raise these friendly-feathered creatures from chicks to chooks. Pete will discuss the differences between breeds, various feed choices, habitat and shelter needs, and great tips and tricks for keeping your chickens happy, healthy and laying. Click here to register for this class.

March 4
- 10am-noon – Make Your Own Olive Oil Body Products, The Oregon Olive Mill, Red Ridge Farms (Dayton)—Join Rebecca Minifie from Angelica Herbs for this fun and informative demonstration on how to make all-natural olive oil-based toiletries. She will demystify the art of making lip balm, face cream & body soap featuring our olive oil and other simple ingredients. Cost: $35. Class includes stey-by-step instruction and recipes; a lip balm, small face cream and bar of soap to take home; refreshments; and 10% off all other purchases made day of class. Reservations required by calling 503-864-8502.

- 11am – What to Do In The Garden in March, Garland Nursery (Corvallis)

- 1-2:30pm – Veggie Gardening 101, Portland Nursery (Division Street location)—If you are excited to grow your own food but have little to no experience, this is the class for you! Jen Aron of Peaceful Gardens will discuss the basics of soil amending, crops selection, plant spacing & timing, watering, lighting needs, and much more! Will her years of experience, she will demystify growing your own food and share her tips and techniques for beginner success! Click here to register for this class.

- 1pm - Basics of Seed Starting, Portland Nursery (Stark Street location)—Starting your garden plants from seed can save you money, let you try varieties that are unavailable as starts and let you start growing things while it's still too cold to put them outside. Click here to register for this class.

March 6, 1pm – Pruning Basics, Joy Creek Nursery (Scappoose)—The health and beauty of a garden's living structure depends on thoughtful shaping and pruning of its shrubs and tress. Mike Smith will demonstrate how to evaluate and prune to reveal the hidden beauty of your older trees and shrubs. This year, special attention will be given to the pruning, shaping and training of a large climbing rose, different species of hydrangeas and other selected shrubs and small trees. Bring your questions about pruning plants that suffered damage during this past winter's November freeze. Dress warmly and bring an umbrella.

March 10
- 10am-noon – Rose Care, Terra Gardens Nursery & Bark (Salem)—For more information on this class please call (503-581-0441).

- 10am – Pondless Waterfalls and Creeks, Hughes Water Gardens (Wilsonville)—Design and construction techniques for waterfalls and creeks flowing into a hidden reservoir.

- 11am-12:30pm – Controlling Wees & Pests in the Veggie Garden, Portland Nursery (Division Street location)—Vegetable gardening comes with its fair share of weed and pest problems. Join experienced gardener Tim Lanfri, Community Garden Creators, to learn about controlling and preventing common weeds and pests for a healthy, bountiful harvest! Tim will discuss Integrated Pest Management (IPM), pest & weed ID, and various methods of controlling the undesirables without pesticides or herbicides. Click here to register for this class.

- 1pm - Intro to Medicinal Plants in the Garden, Portland Nursery (Division Street location)—Medicine is growing all around us, from the cracks in the sidewalk to the corners of our gardens! Join Missy Rohs, Arctos School of Herbal and Botanical Studies, for an introduction into the world of medicinal plants. From culinary herbs to common weeds, she will explore the use of plants and how they can be made into medicine. Click here to register for this class.

- 1pm – Being Successful with Roses, Portland Nursery (Stark Street location)—Learn to plant, care for and feed this classic, romantic garden mainstay. Greg will give you what you need to know about rose culture to fill your garden with blossoms. Click here to register for this class.