meetings & events calendar
​
our monthly meetings
​
NWNARGS meets up to ten times a year at the Bellevue Botanical Garden (12001 Main Street, Bellevue, WA 98005), in addition to periodic online meetings. Meetings feature illustrated presentations by local, national and international experts; plant cultivation tips and demonstrations; and information about Pacific Northwest growing conditions and plant resources. Meetings are usually held the second Thursday of each month (with exceptions, see below). Refreshments and social time start at 7:00 pm, business meeting and program at 7:30 pm. Please s the map below for the exact location. Our meetings are free and open to the public and non-members and guests are welcome! Please check our news page as dates approach for more in-depth information about upcoming meetings and events.
2024 Programs & Events (currently all meetings at BBG)
​
Saturday, January 20, 2024 - "Member Slides and Stories"
10:30 am social, meeting at 11 am
​
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
​
Thursday, March 14, 2024 - Claire Cockcroft, "Rock Gardens in the Czech Republic, May, 2023"
​
"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
​
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.
​
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!
​
Saturday, April 13, 2024 - Spring Plant Sale, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm (member presale at 9:30)
​
Thursday, May 9, 2024 - Mark Akimoff, Illahe Rare Plants, 'Growing Alpine and Rock Garden Plants'.
​
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.
​
Thursday, June 13, 2024 - Gordon Polson and Alison Johnson, 'Plant Propagation'
​
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.
​
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.
​
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.
​
Thursday, July 11, 2024 - 7:00 pm social, meeting at 7:30 pm
​
No Meeting in August, summer picnic date TBD
​
Wednesday, September 25, 2024 - 7:00 pm social, meeting at 7:30 pm
Thursday, October 10, 2024 - 7:00 pm social, meeting at 7:30 pm
maps
pictures from some of our past meetings
One of our members perusing some of Ron Ratko's seeds for sale. A percentage of the profits go to our chapter. Photo by Lynn Schueler
Thanks to our generous donors, we have an extensive collection of garden-related books for sale. Photo by Lynn Schueler
Photo by Lynn Schueler
At our monthly meeting. Photo by Lynn Schueler