The last week of December can be a new beginning if you take a moment and wait for the days to lengthen and the first signs of spring to appear. And we still have plenty of winter days left, giving us time indoors to make plans and dreams to improve our lives and our gardening skills.
Below are some ways to generate high expectations for the upcoming season:
Join us in New England
Travel is a way to add adventure to life and we have several options for May trips to the New England Islands. The trip will take place May 9-16, 2024 with an additional two-day extension following the Boston tour. The trip includes Newport, Rhode Island, mansions, lobster feeding and sailing, as well as time on Martha's Vineyard, Cape Cod and Nantucket.
This trip wasn't about the parks, but we visited several parks and had experienced local guides available to provide tips and park history. The New England coast is known for its hydrangeas and gardens, as well as its history and architecture.
For more information and to register for this New England spring adventure, please visit my website www.binettigarden.com for all information including pricing and travel insurance.
Visit home and garden shows.
The Tacoma Home and Garden Show will be held January 25-28 at the Tacoma Dome and opening day is free to the public. Friday, January 26 is Veterans Day, admission is free for military and first responders. You can now visit the website for discounted tickets.
Buy tickets to the Northwest Flower and Garden Show at www.gardenshow.com and get them at a discount. Perfectly timed to help celebrate Valentine's Day, the show will take place this year from February 14-18 at the Seattle Convention Center on Pike Street. You can turn this adventure into an overnight stay by booking discounted Seattle hotel rooms online during the event.
Tip: NWFG will sell great new plants for Northwest gardens, unusual hydrangeas (some with very dark leaves), hellebores, Japanese maples, flowering bulbs and seed lots, as well as garden and entertaining items. Now it is expected.
Join a community garden or Master Gardening group.
Did you know that the most common hobby of “super seniors” who stay healthy and active into their 90s is gardening? (Just ask Ed Hume, a Northwest gardener who owns his own seed company, how gardening helps him stay active into his 90s.)
It's not just the physical benefits of bending and stretching that help older gardeners, but the mental exercise of planning ahead and organizing gardening tasks is also good for the brain. Now add the social aspect of connecting with like-minded people and you have the doctor-prescribed activities for aging well.
Here are some ways to attract the attention of the gardening community in your area:
Join a local Master Gardener and you will not only learn through free classes, but you will also contribute to your community through active community service by participating in plant clinics, gardens, and garden shows. Type the name of your area and the words "master gardener" into a search engine to find contacts.
Join your local garden club. Your local nursery may know how to contact garden clubs in your area.
The size and scope of gardens in Western Washington are as varied as the plants that grow here. There are groups that are primarily social, clubs that invest in community service, clubs affiliated with the National Garden Clubs of America, online clubs, and clubs dedicated to specific plants like the Rose Society and the Hardy Plant Society.
Don't give up if you haven't found one that suits your needs. Keep searching and you will find your tribe that will help you grow.
Marianne Binetti graduated from Washington State University with a degree in horticulture and is the author of several books. Contact us at binettigarden.com.
