Northwestern Chapter
of the North American Rock Garden Society

2024 Programs & Events (currently all meetings at BBG)

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Saturday, January 20, 2024 - "Member Slides and Stories"

10:30 am social, meeting at 11 am

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Sunday, February 18, 2024 - Maggie Soderstrom, "Mastering the Art of Seed Sowing: Help! I Ordered Too Many Seeds!" - Chapter president and seed aficionado Maggie Soderstrom will be presenting tips and tricks for seed sowing and starting. 10:30 am social, meeting at 11 am

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Thursday, March 14, 2024 - Claire Cockcroft, "Rock Gardens in the Czech Republic, May, 2023"

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"One of the highlights of the Czech International Rock Garden Conference was touring eight different rock gardens.  Some of the gardens were created in natural settings; others were constructed using crevice gardening techniques.  All were impressive.  These gardens offered tips on how to grow demanding alpine plants but also demonstrated how common, easy-to-grow alpines can provide a stunning display." Social time at 7:00 pm, program and meeting at 7:30 pm

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Thursday, April 11, 2024 - Brief BBG Rock Garden Tour (weather permitting)/Surplus Seed Distribution/Plant Sale Prep

 

No official program this month, but weather permitting we will take a walk around the rock garden, as well as distribute our share of surplus seed from the national seed exchange. Plus general member meeting, and plant sale info/plant dropoff. 7:00 pm social time starts, meeting at 7:30 pm.

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Friday, April 12, 2024 Spring Plant Sale Set-up, 10 am to 4 pm - Come and drop off plants and help price and set up for Saturday's sale!

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Saturday, April 13, 2024 - Spring Plant Sale, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm (member presale at 9:30)

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Thursday, May 9, 2024 - Mark Akimoff, Illahe Rare Plants, 'Growing Alpine and Rock Garden Plants'.

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Mark will share valuable insights on successful cultivation in the Western US. Additionally, Mark has generously offered to bring orders from his nursery for anyone interested. If you’d like to place an order, please do so by May 5th. During checkout, select local pickup and include a note specifying to bring it to the NW NARGS May meeting. Mark will also bring some additional specialty plants as well for sale at the meeting. Social time at 7:00 pm, meeting and program at 7:30 pm.

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Thursday, June 13, 2024 - Gordon Polson and Alison Johnson, 'Plant Propagation'

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With over 80 years of experience in England and the US, Gordon will explain basic plant propagation, with expert tips for softwood and hardwood cuttings. Included is a video demonstration by Alison Johnson on how to make a Forsythe Pot and how to divide large and tough perennials. The goal is to teach you how to cultivate more plants from your own garden stock.

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Gordon, who is originally from Surrey, England, started gardening when he was 8 years old. He became a Master Gardener in 2005 and teaches online workshops in Plant Propagation for the Bellevue Demonstration Garden.

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Alison is originally from Cheshire in England and has lived in the States since 1994. Her garden is a couple of acres of English-style perennials and mixed borders. It is open for NPA Open Gardens. A book featuring her garden will be published in 2025. She is a Master Gardener and Master Pruner. Past co-president of the NPA, she now chairs the education team. Social time at 7:00 pm, meeting and program begin at 7:30 pm.

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Thursday, July 11, 2024 - Maggie Soderstrom, 'Trip to South America'

 

Chapter President Maggie Soderstrom will be talking about her trip to South America with the Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy this last winter/spring. Social time at 7:00 pm, meeting and program begin at 7:30 pm.

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Saturday, August 10, 2024 - Members-only summer potluck picnic and plant sale! See the newsletter and upcoming chapter mails for details! 

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Wednesday, September 25, 2024 - Mark Turner, 'NW Native Plants for Rock Gardens'

 

Mark Turner is a freelance editorial photographer specializing in botanical subjects, especially Northwest wildflowers and gardens.  He photographs extensively for books and magazines both in gardens and in a wide range of native plant environments. Mark is the photographer, and co-author with Phyllis Gustafson, of the award-winning Wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest. His second book, with co-author Ellen Kuhlmann, Trees and Shrubs of the Pacific Northwest, was published by Timber Press in 2014. His latest book for Timber, Weeds of the Pacific Northwest, co-authored by Sami Gray, was published in 2024. He lives in Bellingham, Washington with his husband, where he also runs a portrait business specializing in family portraits. Social time at 7:00 pm, meeting and program begin at 7:30 pm.

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Thursday, October 10, 2024 - Ester Benedicts, 'Creating Microclimates in the Garden'

 

Ester will explain growing techniques that have worked for her. Included will be sand bed, crevice bed and bog garden construction. Also, making, planting and care of troughs.

A little bit about Ester: "I live on a small farm in northern Indiana with my husband, Robert. I am a self-taught gardener, gleaning information from books, magazines, trial and error, and many wonderful people who are willing to share their knowledge. Robert and I enjoy seeing plants in their natural habitat, and visiting botanical gardens, nurseries, and private gardens. We belong to the Great Lakes Chapter of NARGS." Social time at 7:00 pm, meeting and program begin at 7:30 pm.