London Garden Meet-Up

 Here we are with a feet meet-up shot in Matron's own London garden!   How could it be four years ago that we did this shot in my Washington state garden?   Thanks to Matron, her Mom and Leo the lab for hosting us.  We had a garden tour and tomato tastings, then fish and chips with mushy peas, followed by seed bin tour.   See her shot and more about Leo's gardening here.  Thanks for an enjoyable last night in London!

Matron, you motivated me.  After my flight landed in Seattle, I fit in a couple hours in the garden (and beautiful sunshine).  I cannot wait to plant Matron's seed selection next year, and get back on the vegetable garden track. 

We had a visit to a nearby allotment.   I could have spent a week exploring them.

Another shot from Matron's garden. We would have put this potato between in the feet shot, except we thought Leo would think it was for him to eat.  Nice soil, below, don't you think? 

SAGBUTTees - Matron asked about our Guerrilla Gardening plans she remembered from back in 2009.  See the group picture including Matron at this link.   We may need to add that to our SAGBUTT schedule drawn up last month.

Critter Garden

I had a brave moment and visited my neglected garden.  Happily, I found it was a buzz of activity.  The bees are enjoying the borage (above) and anise hyssop (below).  I assume Petunia (the snake) and cousins are appreciating that I'm not disturbing them too much (see Petunia's Condo link here).  I haven't seen any snakes around the place this year, though. 

I'm really looking forward to our SAGBUTT reunited garden visit in a few weeks! 
Bees and SAGBUTT are an August theme, apparently - see this link
More posts from SAGBUTT events here.

SAGBUTT Saturday- Tomorrow!

Wow - I've been out of touch. I just realized there is a Seattle Area Garden Bloggers United to Talk (and Eat) event tomorrow at 11 am !

See Karen's SAGBUTT post for the details.

And see the SAGBUTT Group link for my prior posts about our adventures.

Yeah! Welcome to the 2010 garden season!

SAGBUTT Tour October

Aerie-el arranged for quite the SAGBUTT tour today. Now just how far outside of Seattle did we go??

The nursery cafe was closed today, but it must be the center of activity in season! I could see spending a summer afternoon sitting at the outdoor tables (it is a bring your own coffee & pie kind of place).

... And after the world tour, we reached the Lake Wilderness Arboretum, in Maple Valley, Washington. A beautiful and dry day, too!

More of the unexpected...Clerodendrum trichotomum, Peanut Butter Tree. Rubbing the leaves reveals a peanut butter aroma, and check out the jelly colors to go along with it.

I liked the lacy design of this deciduous fir tree (as I understood). Perhaps the others will share the correct name. Our patient volunteer tour guide quickly adapted to our classic SAGBUTT touring style. Always ready to wonder off to any plant or blogger photo opportunity that calls.

But, of course, regrouping for some garden harvest sharing! Here, nicely set in in the Arboretum nursery area (and also the home of the world class fence/shed in the first two photos).

Tasty garden treats from Aeriel-el, Wingnut & Curmudgeon!

More of the covered potting area in the nursery. What a handy area!

I'll add the links of others who are likely to have captured more of the actual plant collections.

Thanks, Aeriel-el & SAGBUTTees, for a nice day out!

Sept 20th SAGBUTT - See You There!

The Seattle Area Garden Bloggers United To Talk is planning a trip to Seattle's Washington Park Arboretum this Sunday, Sept. 20th. We're meeting for the standard 11 am guided walk which starts from the Graham Visitors Center, 2300 Arboretum Drive East, in Seattle. The tour may last 60 to 90 minutes. Then, we'll probably find a spot to chat about all things gardening & blogging.

Here's the link for the the tour information. There is also a tour at 1pm.

Thanks to the Gardeness over at Garden Muse for scoping out the options and organizing this visit! Click on the SAGBUTT label, below, to see more posts about our gatherings.

SAGBUTT on Tiger Mountain

Yesterday, the Seattle area garden bloggers were invited to Molly's garden on Tiger Mountain to taste tomatoes. And, as it goes with SAGBUTT meetings, to talk and eat!

This is just a portion of the vegetable garden. You'll have to check out the Weed Wackin' Wenches post to see more of the pumpkins. Molly already has greens planted for fall under the white fleece. Note: The fleece is being held in place with Japanese clothes pins made to use with bamboo poles (& perfect for hoop cloches). Molly has an extra cool garden and has several strategies for helping keep the plants a little protected.

In person, we met the parent to the black pussy willow cuttings Molly brought to our first SAGBUTT meeting! It's the left half of the photo, above. I think there is a lilac neighbor on the right.

Some of the tasty & colorful tomatoes being sampled. There were many varieties, but even just these three were quite different from one another. The Italian Ice was an intriguing sight. It had a mild flavor, and a sturdy wall structure that reminded several of us of peppers.

Just a little view of the fine Northwest landscape for those of you in other parts of the world.

Thanks, Molly, for hosting the group and the fine tour, food and beverage! You have created such a nice spot there! It was so much fun hearing about your gardening & other adventures. I could have stayed on this porch for a week (although the wild life stories might have changed that - see also the Weed Wackin' photo essay).

Bee Sleepy (but not on SAGBUTT Saturday)

When the cat sleeps like this, we call it hanging 10 (or 20 if she found a really good spot). You can bet this photo will be showing up whenever I'm feeling tuckered!

I have very odd bee behavior in my garden this year, but no leads on interesting tomatoes for the SAGBUTT Tomato Show going on Saturday at Molly's. My tiny almost ripe tomato split in the rain this week. Tomatoes or not, I'll be there!

Sunny SAGBUTT Sunday

In the peaceful garden of Daniel and Michael. Sadie takes a break while showing the visitors around. What a perfect Sunday afternoon visiting the farm with others SAGBUTTees (Seattle Area Garden Bloggers United to Talk ... eating and exchanging seems to go along with these gatherings also). Or as Jean put it, Bloggers in Paradise! Check out the photos she posted. (More posts are now up. See Liisa and Karen.)

Hops - Michael, how did you describe the color/sheen? I'm glad you pointed out this loveliness. I wasn't sure if my first year hops were happy or if the leaves where trying to tell me something. I came home and checked. Sure enough, I found the same magical sheen.

Leave it to the critters to know the best spot to watch the garden grow. Maybe it was the warm day, but the wood's edge and its pathways were especially appealing.

Eggplant, in the greenhouse. Probably the first time I've seen it growing. It's a beautiful plant! I'm sure the harvest will be tasty, also. I'll have to try growing it.

David shares his rhubarb juice with Daniel (look out, Petunia's jumbo rhubarb plant...). With Michael, Liisa, Molly and Karen (not in photo), pondering the first bite from the delicious food treats. And gardeners always have something to share so most went home with produce from the host garden or plants that came along with the visitors.

Thanks for hosting the group, Daniel & Michael! You have a beautiful and welcoming spot there!

Crimson Flowered Broad Beans

It doesn't take long to realize vegetables aren't just good to eat; they are also quite lovely. These are the crimson flowered broad beans Matron (from the UK) brought to our SAGBUTT swap (in Seattle). Here the group at the swap, also. She says she doesn't do flowers, but now we know why she doesn't need to!

And this is the other lovely broad bean that sprouted from the crimson flowered bean seeds! I like these flowers a lot, too, but wasn't expecting variety.

I also didn't realize these beads aren't climbers. They have a robust stalk that looks like it will support itself. I planted them with my climbing beans, though, and have to keep them from seeing the broad beans as a climbing stalk.

Matron, thanks for the seeds, flowers and future produce! How tall will they grow?

Garden Kindness

I don't know about at your garden, but my garden has May Day (May 1) Fairies that bring it treats! Home sprouted geraniums destined for the whiskey barrel on the way to the garden and a fragrant Honeymelon Sage with red flowers getting ready to open. I have the sweetest May Day Fairies anywhere!



And this is the grand building the Weed Whackin' Wenches located for our April SAGBUTT meeting. Just outside is the Good Shepard p-patch and Seattle Tilth demonstration garden. How perfect is that for a garden meeting! Thanks, WWW, hosting the meeting!

An thanks to Karen for sharing these fragrant shade lovers. Please tell me the name again! And our new attendee, TEL, shared colorful sedums with us! She's thinking about starting her garden blog. (They look a little water logged here. No worries, I just just watered them and the water was just soaking in.)

I love having treasures in my garden that came from others. It's like we're all out there together! Thank you for sharing!

The SAGBUTT Zone

I've been delayed enough to already have some excellent reports back from the March 22nd SAGBUTT gathering. Just up to me to post the group photo! So here we are, in our Zone!

Melanthia's summary of the event even covers the fur advice and what's up with the signs, above, that Karen was able to bring for us. Karen's write-up reminds us how we (& gardening) can change the world, especially if we don't forget about seedling gym exercises, and includes a preview of plants that may show up at a future meeting. Matron, international reporter, has a post up about it too (love the sign) and can share WA seed shopping location, if SAGBUTTees are still in search of just a few more seeds.

You can see from the photos the amazing variety of plants, seeds and treasures that went with all the advise and ideas filling the room. I have sprouts up from Karen's broccoli and will be planting more seeds this week. Thanks to everyone for the great discussions, goodies, and for planting all the gardening ideas, assuming spring does eventually arrive.

Bob - Bob's Garden

Molly - Life on Tiger Mountain

Curmudgeon (& WingNut)- Weed Wackin' Wenches

Catherine - A Gardener in Progress

Karen - Greenwalks

Melanthia - Garden Muse

Matron - Down on the Allotment, visiting from the UK & friend D.

Mark Saturday, April 18th down on the calendar. Curmudgeon & WingNut have a location convenient to the Seattle Tilth garden. Just in time to see some spring sprouts (maybe).

So, SAGBUTTees, what do you think about a flash mob guerrilla gardening event in prime summer, downtown Seattle? Do you think we could leave a nice NW impression for many of the summer visitors?

SAGBUTT Garden Expansion

Did anyone else come home and plant just a few seeds? (Karen's broccoli, for me.)

Or perhaps had a stop at a charity shop for a little fur / faux fur piece?

SAGBUTT swap in progress, above. Thanks, SAGBUTTees (far & near), for all the contributed tips, plants, discussions, seeds, signs, and more. This blogger will have to post more about it later! (any takers on explaining the fur?) Enjoy the treasures & ideas!

It's SAGBUTT Sunday!

Here is Aloe Vera getting ready for the garden blogger gathering tomorrow. Hope you will be there too!

How do you like the handy potting tray? Is it nifty enough to forgive me for a little disorganization at the SAGBUTT meeting tomorrow? However, with the international visitor, seeds, signs, plants and gardening chatter going on, hopefully, maybe no one will notice....

You see, we received a call this morning to see if DH would like to help relocate some wood posts from a location being cleared out. And maybe a waterfall hike and geocache to go along with it? Well, DH asked if I wanted to go, too. Posts lead to some other treasures, and this bin was one of them. I hope you understand! We never made it to the waterfall and geocache. I think a return trip is in order!

MEETING DETAILS:
What: Seattle Area Garden Bloggers United to Talk (SAGBUTT)
When: March 22, 2009 1 pm - 3:30 pm
Where: Bellevue Regional Library, Room 41111 110th Avenue NE, Bellevue, 98004 Map link here
Bring: Seeds, etc. to swap, catalogs to browse/discuss, gardening questions, or just yourself!
Provided: Envelopes for sharing seeds, light refreshments.
More info in this post and at Karen's Greenwalks blog.

Bonus VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY March 22nd:

Karen has noted a garden related volunteer opportunity that you might like to pair up with our SAGBUTT meeting. Bellevue Botanical Garden is looking for help to pot up plants for their annual sale, and they will feed us lunch for free!

Here's the info:March 22, Sunday Potting Up Party 10 am - 4 pm

Bellevue Botanical Garden 12001 Main St, Bellevue. Volunteer Page Link

SAGBUTT March Meet & Swap

Calling all Seattle Area Gardeners!

(visiting gardeners too, but no gardening ants* please)

Our next SAGBUTT meeting is scheduled for Sunday, March 22. Thanks to Molly, who stepped in during my pre-vacation haze, we have a reserved location!

A seed swap seems to be on the top of the unofficial agenda for this meeting. Plus, we hope to have our first visiting blogger, Matron from the UK. Visit her blog, Down on the Allotment, and prepare your vegetable growing questions. The UK climate is quite like our own!

We'll also have some time to discuss any gardening/blogging topics desired, and planning for the next meeting or two. (read about Feb. fun here!)

Please leave a comment if you hope to attend and with any suggestions for this meeting. Feel free to list any seeds available or desired in the comments, also.

MEETING DETAILS:
What: Seattle Area Garden Bloggers United to Talk (SAGBUTT)
When: March 22, 2009 1 pm - 3:30 pm
Where: Bellevue Regional Library, Room 4
1111 110th Avenue NE, Bellevue, 98004 Map link here

Bring: Seeds, etc. to swap, catalogs to browse/discuss, gardening questions.
Provided: Envelopes for sharing seeds, light refreshments.

Future meeting plans: We tentatively slated the third full weekend of each month, alternating between Saturday and Sunday. This makes the next tentative event April 18th. However, plans are subject to change to fit with special gardening events, etc. Attendees are planning to take turns coordinating the meetings/events.

SAGBUTT notices, discussions: Google groups SAGBUTT page and/or see the Facebook group for Seattle Area Garden Bloggers.

Bonus VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY March 22nd:
Karen has noted a garden related volunteer opportunity that you might like to pair up with our SAGBUTT meeting. Bellevue Botanical Garden is looking for help to pot up plants for their annual sale, and they will feed us lunch for free! Here's the info:
March 22, Sunday Potting Up Party 10 am - 4 pm

Bellevue Botanical Garden 12001 Main St, Bellevue. Volunteer Page Link

Help pot up and prepare plants from the Border for the Spring Plant Sale. Opportunities for all skill levels and abilities, including labeling, etc. Lunch will be provided. Question? or to let them know you will attend, contact George Lasch at George@crows-hop.com

FINALLY, the little guy, below, is ready for a trim. Would anyone like some aloe vera starts? I can bring them to the meeting.

*Leaf cutter ants cut and chew leaves into mulch that is used to fertilize fungi, whose spores the ants then eat! It's a wonder there are any leaves left in Costa Rica.