UW Botanic Gardens Newsletter
College of the Environment
School of Forest Resources
Table of Contents
Artist Reception: Nature inspires Katie Murphy's ceramics
Public Meeting: Learn about Pacific Connections "Gateway to Chile"
Public Education: Anna Pavord presents "A Luxuriance of Bulbs"
Public Education: "Plant This Instead!"
ProHort Class: Professional class discusses plant diseases
Preview Party: Purchase tickets for book sale kick-off
Storytime: Hooray for mud!
Public Tours: Arboretum walks now feature themes
Cuttings: Preview seasonal interest before you walk
Website Redesign: Enjoy one-click access to popular pages
Plant Profile: Tulipa kaufmanniana 'Ancilla'
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Mar 12: Meet ceramic artist Katie Murphy
Visit the Miller Library now through Mar. 31 to view the nature-inspired ceramic art of Katie Murphy. Or visit Friday, Mar. 12, between 5:00 and 7:00 PM and meet the artist herself. As the Hyde Herbarium Collections Manager and a current UWBG graduate student, Murphy draws inspiration from the forms, textures, colors and beauty of nature that surround her. Join us for the artist's reception and see how Murphy balances classic pottery forms, whimsical carvings and decoration, bright and earthy colors, and a love of art and science in "The Nature of Clay."
Mar 16: Gateway to Chile - Please enter
Have you had a chance to stroll through the Arboretum's Pacific Connections Preview Gardens, showcasing plants from Australia, New Zealand, Chile, China and Cascadia? Perhaps you've read the interpretive shelter's signage, explored its design elements and peered up at its green roof. There's more to come!
Attend a public meeting Tuesday, Mar. 16, 6:40-7:30 PM at Graham Visitors Center and learn about the Chilean focal forest, planned for construction this spring. Gateway to Chile, situated at the southern intersection of Arboretum Drive and Lake Washington Boulevard, will include restoration of the overgrown Holmdahl Rockery and creation of an eyecatching display of colorful Chilean plant species. Seattle Parks will remove 34 mature trees that aren't contributing to the horticultural collection, to make way for the planting of 72 Chilean trees. Gateway to Chile will include Fuchsia magellanica, Drimys winteri var. andina (winter’s bark), Embothrium coccineum (Chilean fire bush), Austrocedrus chilensis, an endangered conifer, and Pilgerodendron uviferum, a tree that can live 500 years. Learn more on our website, read Seattle Parks coverage of Phase One and Gateway to Chile, and attend the meeting Tuesday!
Luxuriate in bulbs, grow satisfying alternatives to invasives & learn to recognize common plant diseases
To preregister for any of these programs, call 206-685-8033 or download a form from our website.
Mar 23: Anna Pavord, author of Bulb, presents a dazzling "Luxuriance of Bulbs"
“Of all the different plants in the world,” says Pavord, “bulbs intrigue me the most. As a gardener, I appreciate the way they mark the seasons: aconites giving way to crocus, crocus to daffodils, daffodils to alliums, then lilies, stately galtonias and a final fantastic flourish of eucomis and nerines. Bulbs are not just a spring thing. In this talk I introduce some of my favourites and suggest how they might be used in a garden.” In her newest book, Anna Pavord has written the A-Z of bulbs (Acis to Zigadenus). Come luxuriate in her visual presentation Tuesday, Mar. 23, 7:00-8:30 PM at the Center for Urban Horticulture (NHS Hall), $15.
Apr 7: Sarah Reichard reveals how & why to "Plant This Instead!"
Have you ever grown a plant in your garden that exhibited invasive tendencies? Many plants that cause environmental problems start in our gardens. Learn from UW Conservation Biology Professor Sarah Reichard, Ph.D., about some of these plants and their impacts on plant and animal communities, plus non-invasive alternatives for your garden Wednesday, Apr. 7, 7:00-8:30 PM at the Center for Urban Horticulture (Douglas Classroom), $20.
Apr 19: ProHort class helps you answer "What's Killing My Tree?"
Marianne Elliott, Plant Pathologist, WSU Puyallup, will show you how to identify common diseases of woody plants and how to tell the difference between damage caused by disease and other factors, such as insects, poor management practices and weather. Following an indoor lecture, the class will move outside to look at examples of diseases. The class meets Monday, Apr. 19, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM at the Graham Visitors Center, $30. It's designed for plant professionals (WSDA & ISA credits pending), but registration is open to everyone.
More exciting classes to come!
Additional programs include Lichens, Mastering Your Digital Camera and Propagating Ferns. Watch our website for details.
Apr 2-3: Great finds await you at the Miller Library's 5th Annual Garden Lover's Book Sale & Preview Party
We've seen people leave here with boxloads of gorgeous plant books! For the absolutely best haul and an enjoyable evening, purchase a ticket to the wine and cheese preview party Friday, Apr. 2, 5:00-8:00 PM, $20. Call 206-543-0415 with a credit card to make your reservation. Can't make it Friday? You'll still find plenty of books worth drooling over at the free book sale Saturday, Apr. 3, 9:00 AM-3:00 PM.
Plus, part of the fun of the Miller Library’s annual Book Sale is donating your gently-used plant, garden, ecology and nature books, knowing they'll find a really good home. Drop off your books at the library before Wednesday, Mar. 31.
Apr 10: Hooray for mud!
Squishing around in mud can be really satisfying. Settling into a good story can be equally satisfying. Bring your 2- to 8-year-olds to hear Muddigush by Kimberley Knutson and Big Rain Coming by Katrina Germein Saturday, Apr. 19, 10:30-11:15 AM in the Miller Library. Young Gardeners Story Time is a free monthly program.
Introducing themed Arboretum walks
Now you can have it whichever way you like it. The Arboretum offers free guided walks the first and third Sundays of each month. If you like choosing your walks according to content, catch a themed 11:00 AM walk. In March, your guide will focus on wetlands as you stroll along the shores of Lake Washington discussing aquatic wildlife, wetland plants and park history. In April, your 11:00 AM guide will introduce you to the Pacific Connections Gardens (see "Gateway to Chile - Please enter" above). If you prefer to be surprised, come at 1:00 PM and enjoy whatever the guide is most excited about that day. Walks last 90 minutes. Meet at the Graham Visitors Center Sunday, Mar. 21, Apr. 4 or Apr. 18.
Preview blooming plants before you walk
Before walking through the Washington Park Arboretum or Center for Urban Horticulture gardens, step inside the Graham Visitors Center or Merrill Hall lobby to check out the latest seasonal-interest cuttings or bouquet. Our horticultural staff labels the plant cuttings for easy reference.
Redesigned website offers timely content
Next time you visit our website, check out the new features! The new site is designed to make it easier to navigate and find information. Near the top of each page, you'll find one-click access to the most popular pages, including the Calendar, Plant Answer Line, Facility Rentals and Gifts. Plus there's a search box to make it easy to search the entire site.
A new Contact Us page lists contact information by department and commonly-requested topic. (We also still list individual contact information on the Staff page.) And an entirely new feature allows UWBG faculty and staff to post horticultural, research and other timely updates. You'll want to check “More news from our staff” on the home page often, or go directly to the News page that generates the home page excerpts. If you like to keep current through RSS feeds, you can do that, too.
Some site features are still under construction, so feel free to tell us if something isn't working for you.
March plant profile:
Tulipa kaufmanniana 'Ancilla’
[by Riz Reyes, Soest Gardener] They're very VERY early this season, but the weather has been outstanding for these little gems. Having lasted a decade in these beds, ‘Anclla’ still keeps coming strong each spring with outstanding blooms.
They are reliably perennial and stunningly beautiful as a mass or group planting.
Common Name: Ancilla Tulip
Location: Soest Garden Bed 6
Family: Liliaceae
Origin: Garden Origin
Height: 6-8 inches
Spread: Can form tight clumps after several years
Bloom Time: Usually mid to late March into April
Bloom Type/Color: Cream colored tepals with bright orange red centers. Reverse has a light red/blue blush.
Exposure: Full sun
Water/Soil: Well drained, moderately moist
See additional plant profiles.
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