I plan to go to the Everett Sorticulture Fair on Friday. Does anyone want to meet up there? Here's a link to entertainment, etc:

http://www.everettwa.org/defau...

I'm not a Cisco fan, but I know many are - he will be there on Saturday. I'm more interested in listening to Mark DuFresne, playing on Friday evening.

Just saw this thread, went Friday morning. What a great event. Seems like they lost many plant vendors, lots of garden art. I'm not too interested in garden art but some lovely things there.

I went in the afternoon. Yes, less plants and more yard art. I did buy one of those decorative spinning copper sprinklers which I plan to put in the middle of my herb garden and see how much it will cover. I think my well water may be a bit problematic as the pressure fluctuates, but the worse it will do is go on and off with the pressure. Lots of succulents - those have sure been popular lately. I don't have much interest in them, and still lump them all together as hens and chicks.

So funny you would say that about hens and chick. I on the other hand love those plants and find so much diversity in them. What I don't like is all the sellers that have jumped on board and know nothing about the plant. We have a big wholesale company that just bought up a nursery and selling plants under wrong names. Big no no in the sempervivum world. I chatted to him about it. If you don't know the name its a NOID.

I'll have to pass to you a few of the outstanding sempervivum for you to plant and watch, see if I can make a convert out of you. They would be outstanding in your rock patio wall.

I do have quite a few planted at the foot of the boulders, where they meet the flagstone, and they are very nice there. My neighbor saw me about to buy a couple at Haggen and told me in no uncertain terms to put those down - she had plenty to share. Later that evening she brought over a flat of various hens/chicks which I happily planted out! There ARE some gorgeous ones, I just have never kept track of cultivars like I do my other plants. Not sure why. That said, I'm happy to get more of them - that patio is a large area to cover!

I also thought Sorticulture had more food than I remembered - seems last time I went (few years ago) there was just some snacky stuff, whereas this year one could buy a whole dinner. And perhaps more entertainment, too. I did get to listen to Mark DuFresne, nice to have that playing in the background as I window-shopped. Lots and lots of metal work.

Our friends used to own Lavender Farms in Marysville (they've now retired and their nephew is running the farm) and they still work some of the fairs. He is now making some really interesting clocks out of old door plates/knobs with a suspended skeleton key for the tick-tock. You may have seen these, their booth was on the right near the entrance.

No, didn't see those. I have an aversion to lavender, have no idea why, and just walked past. I will look next year.

I'm not much into lavender either, the scent can become overpowering in an old lady way (to me). I also don't have a lot of luck growing it - from talking with our friends, my soil is likely both too rich and too wet, they like a much sharper drainage than I am able to provide and lean soil. So, I'll continue to treat them as annuals that might last 2-3 years before they peter out. OK by me, there are so many different varieties to choose from. And, really, I would be remiss to not include 2-3 lavenders in my herb garden. I have one in the cosmetic section, one in the fragrant section, and one in the astrological section. I may pop one in the medicinal section as well.

(bump)

Pistil, over in DG, suggested meeting at this year's Sorticulture event. I'm not sure if I'll go, but to meet her and some ATP people would make it well-worthwhile.

Does anyone know their plans for this year yet? I might go if there were a few ATP people to meet there.

https://www.everettwa.gov/823/...

http://garden.org/apps/events/...

I plan to go and would also love to meet some PNW garden folk in person. Anyone else?

Bit far for me to go but I would surely love to. It would be so much fun. The closest that I get to that sort of thing is volunteering at the ABG. Their plant sale is in a few weeks, then Gala in the Garden with silent auction, sale of garden art (some is several thousand dollars - usually the metal stuff), then a regular garden fair with vendors of the sort you mentioned: food, garden art, clothing, you name it. If the weather is nice it is a wonderful day to spend walking through the path through trees and gardens. As a volunteer I get in free (except for the gala which is spending - 'free' wine and food though ).

Hi everyone!
Still planning to go to Sorticulture this year, not sure which day-I took the whole weekend off including the Friday so I can go anytime. Over in DG I am Pistil, changed my name from mlmlakestevens. I am hoping to meet some PNW gardeners (from whatever site) as I think it would be great fun to see the faces behind the flowers.

Oh lookee what I just did- I changed my name here to Pistil from PineNut, so it would all be the same. I like both names but could not use PineNut over there. I haven't posted here just occasionally lurked, maybe I will increase my activity now.

I will be there first thing Friday morning, will be finished looking stuff over about 12. I skip most of the art work because I'm not big into garden art.

I won't make it this year.

I would also like to go Friday morning. I like the art and music but not so crazy about Cisco, who I think is on Saturday.

As Mary knows, I was all set up to go, but ended up in southern Arizona. Next year or next event.....

Friday morning sounds good to me, avoiding some of the weekend crowds.

Unfortunately, I will be out of town this weekend for a family funeral. My husband's elder uncle - good long life and peaceful end of journey, looking forward to fond sharing of memories. Enjoy the festival!

Oh Rats. I suddenly have to work Friday.
I guess I will go to Sorticulture Saturday or Sunday. If anyone is going then let me know perhaps we can meet up.