Sharpen your pruners, gardeners, spring has (almost) sprung! With the promise of growth in the air, we have a few suggestions about ways to dig in.
On the calendar in the near future is a Seed & Start Swap and Giveaway taking place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 19 in Deming at the Van Zandt Community Hall, 4106 Valley Hwy. Put on by the South Fork Valley Community Association, the free event will see seeds and starts being shared, gardening questions answered and insights exchanged. If you don’t have seeds or starts to share, don’t worry. For more details, email info@southforkvalley.org
Inspiration can also be found at the Skagit Home and Garden Show happening in Mount Vernon from Friday through Sunday, March 25 to 27, at the Skagit County Fairgrounds, 501 W. Taylor St. In addition to finding outdoor decor, items related to lawn and garden care and home improvement ideas, the event will feature exhibitors, workshops, live music, food trucks and more. Take note: at 1:30 p.m Sunday, renowned gardening expert Ciscoe Morris will lead a two-hour seminar on Spring Gardening Tips, followed by a Q&A. Go to sicbahomeshow.com for more details.
From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 26, the Fairhaven Plant and Tree Sale returns to the parking lot at Hillcrest Chapel, 1400 Larrabee Ave. At the 34th annual event, attendees can buy plants directly from local growers — including vegetable starts, specialty plants, flowers, herbs, natives, grasses, berries, bamboo, trees, garden decor and more. Suss out the situation at Facebook.com/fairhavenplantandtreesale
That morning, a “Starting Dahlias” workshop will happen in Mount Vernon at 11 a.m. at Christianson’s Nursery, 15806 Best Rd. The one-hour event will be led by Anne Long, owner of The Dahlia House, who will guide participants through foolproof methods for getting plants off to a great growing season. At 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 27, attend “On Gardening” with nursery owners Toni and John Christianson, who will lead an open discussion on all things gardening-related. A number of free webinars are also available online with topics including summer pruning, herb gardens, raised beds, summer care for roses and floral arranging. Get the details at christiansonsnursery.com
In Bellingham, a Spring Market will take root from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 27 at Twin Sisters Brewing Co., 500 Carolina St. At the event, local growers and makers across Whatcom County will sell home and garden items, floral starts and plants, jewelry and much more. Attendees can browse through home and garden products and sip craft beer in the Sunnyland neighborhood. Entry is free. Details can be found at twinsistersbrewing.com
Finally, the Whatcom County Dahlia Society will revive its annual Tuber Sale from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 2 at Bloedel-Donovan Park, 2114 Electric Ave. Pre-pandemic, the event was a free-for-all, with savvy gardeners arriving early to choose their favorite flower tubers from long tables set out in the building’s multipurpose room. If you’re after something particular, prepare to fight for it. Find out more at whatcomcountydahliasociety.org
