Heronswood

At-A-Glance

Summer Newsletter 2016

HAPPENINGS AT HERONSWOOD

SUMMER, INVINCIBLE

The above paraphrase,attributed to Albert Camus,says it well. We longingly wait forthe first warm days of spring to arrivebut fail to remember from year to yearhow hurriedly they pass by, on to anunstoppable summer. The momentsunfold, perfection is here for a splitsecond, petals fall and we can donothing but attempt to acknowledge it. Thus has been this season atHeronswood, with so much happeningin the garden and surrounding thegarden that we have watched it slip byquite helplessly. Already the days arenoticeably shorter. Yet Heronswood in the middle ofAugust is still rich in color and

fragrance. There is a discernible humof pollinating insects andhummingbirds swarming the perennialborders, potager and the bordersaround the Garden House. We have had a memorable yearthus far. Three successful GardenOpens have come and gone, with ourfourth and final set to occur onSeptember 17th. This has also beenour first year with a regularlyscheduled Open Day each week;Fridays at Heronswood has had asteady climb in attendance. We intendto expand the number of days opened

Our 2016 intern, Clare Riley, took thePerennial Borders under her wing lastyear and we have built upon hersuccess this year.

The intent is to work within a paletteof burgundies and reds, concentratingon good foliage value and a greaterpercentage of woody plants forstructure. The Potager? Duane West, nurserymanager of the original Heronswood, isback with us twenty hours/week and,fortunately for us, concentrating on histwo favorite areas in the garden; theupper rock

wall and the former vegetable garden.Both areas are sensational, but more-sothe later. Filled with a panoply of zestycolors, it peaks during August and

each week in 2017. Dr. Peter Raven's remarkablelecture on behalf of Heronswood inMay was wel l attended and evoked

ravereviews anda standingovation. No one leftunmovedby hiswords ofconcern forour planetandoptimism

that we still have time to put thingsback on the right track. In July, we were honored to haveFergus Garrett, head gardener ofGreat Dixter in the U.K., give an allday workshop in the garden, aimed

at increasing the knowledge andpassion for gardening among the moreyouthful of us. During the process ofthis illuminating day, Fergusredesigned the double borders nearthe garden entrance, to be henceforthcalled the Fergus Garrett Borders. Enormous and positive strideshave been made in the entire gardenthis spring and summer. The 'Front Border', devoted towhite, is quite, well, very white, this

September. Our Woodland is coming alongnicely. Over 400 Meconopsis wereplanted this summer for spring floweringin 2017.

Some beds remain under completerenovation while the expansion to thewest continues. This will ultimatelydouble the size of the current woodland. With the areas now more colorcoordinated, our move forward intohosting weddings in the garden will allowthe wedding party to choose a place forthe ceremony or photos that bestcomplement their attire. The 2017wedding season is approaching fullybooked! Of course, virtually none of thisprogress would not have been madewithout the help of an amazing core ofvolunteers. Our Weed, Walk and Talks,held on the second Wednesday andfourth Saturday of each month, continueto be well attended; the work weaccomplish during these times isstaggering.

Dan Hinkley, director

August. We haveusedPetuniaaxillaris, aspeciesfromBrazil, asthe maincomponent and it is quite remarkablein its effects. In the 'Arbor Borders', we aredefining the space using yellows,greens and oranges. It is still a work inprogress, mostly as so much had

to be removed in order to begin therenovation process.

So, it is indeed appropriate to haveused a photo of Dahlia 'Heronista' as aheader to this newsletter. It was aselection we made during the days ofHeronswood Nursery and named forthe spirit of our crew. It is with greatpleasure that I can report that that samespirit remains quite intact today, if noteven stronger.

DJH

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VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

Garden volunteer Bruce MoorWhen we moved to the area 18 months ago we tookover a well-cared for garden. Having been a novicegardener in England (my parents were both keengardeners so it is definitely in the blood!), followed bytime in Southern California and Indiana, both of whichwere challenging for gardeners, my first objective wasto identify what we had. I heard about the HeronswoodPlant Sale through the grapevine and had passed bythe sign many times. Checking the website I found outabout the Weed, Walk and Talk days and thought whatbetter way to learn about the native and cultivatedplants of the Pacific Northwest. On my first volunteer day in early spring last year Iwas fascinated by all of the woodland flowers that I hadno knowledge of such as the dark red Trillium and the

tiny Erythronium that have become favorites of mine. What started out as a learningopportunity has become something I look forward to. I have learned so much from thewonderful staff as well as the more experienced volunteers, and one can never stopdiscovering interesting plant phenomena of the Heronswood collection. By giving my timeto volunteering I feel I am repaying for the knowledge gained. In addition to the personal benefits, it is rewarding to be part of the Heronswoodrestoration project. Seeing the changes going each month and knowing I have contributedis very satisfying. The Tribe has to be congratulated on taking the initiative for such aproject. I now have Heronswood on my destination list for visiting family and friends, and

enjoy the opportunity to pass on my new knowledge.

Learn more about becoming a Heronswood Volunteer_____________________________________________________________

The Heronista's Pick

"Because its foliage is handsome and tidy and evergreen, but forone species, with an understated sheen and little to no

unsightliness. Because the flowers are so profuse and clear whiteand the stamens are so plentiful and festive. Because they bloom

in succession over the mid-summer doldrums. Because theyaren't fussy or subject to sulks and die-back. My favorite is the

genus Eucryphia!"

- Celia Pedersen, garden manager

CALENDER

Heronswood Events You Won't Want to Miss!

Weed, Walk & Talk volunteer days are every second Wednesday andfourth Saturday of the month from 9am - 3pm.

Garden Open to the Public every Friday 10am - 3pm (last garden entry at2:30pm) with a featured visiting nursery selling an array of outstanding plants.

Saturday, September 17th: Fall Plant Sale & Garden Open 10am-4pm

MEET THE STAFFRalph Purser, garden maintenance supervisor, has worked atHeronswood since its acquisition by the Port Gamble S'KlallamTribe in 2012. A tribal member and life long resident of NorthKitsap, Ralph has worked for the PGST for 35 years. He remainsone of most valued employees and works with gusto from startto finish each day. Talented with the tractor, chainsaw andshovel, all one need do is point to a project and it is seeminglyfinished within minutes! His talents go well beyond the garden; heis a master on the grill and we have all benefited from hisburgers cooked to perfection for staff luncheons. He and his wifeare rabid Seahawk fans (notice the shirt AND hat), and he is anaccomplished golfer. Congrats to Ralph for shooting his first

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