August just might be the quietest month of summer for the garden – the most consuming task is watering. Once that’s taken care of, get ready for some fun! There are great classes on offer all summer at many nurseries and most of them are free. Perhaps my favorite free gardening class series takes place at Joy Creek Nursery in Scappoose.

From March through the end of September each year, Joy Creek offers classes on plants, gardening, design, garden-related crafts and anything else a horticulturally-minded person might want to learn about.

This Sunday, August 19th, some of my favorite plantspeople will be presenting on plants from their own nursery, Far Reaches Farm in Port Townsend, WA. As plant collectors who travel as often as possible to the far reaches of the planet in search of plants both for the delight of gardeners and for the purpose of plant conservation, their mission is admirable – but even more importantly, their plants are absolutely incredible. Hearing them talk about their discoveries and their selection process, as well as the garden merits of the various plants they bring home, is enough to turn the most die-hard city person into a lusty wanna-be gardener. Don’t miss their presentation on Sunday!

WHAT Plants From ’Far Reaches with plant explorers/nursery owners Kelly Dodson and Sue Milliken
WHEN: Sunday August 19, 2012 at 1:00 pm
WHERE: Joy Creek Nursery
COST: Free

Kelly and Sue will showcase plants from their own collecting expeditions over the years, including their most recent trips. Learn more about wild-collecting plants in foreign countries as you learn about some truly unusual species and cultivars that fit right in to contemporary gardens.

Kelly Dodson and Sue Milliken, owners of Far Reaches Farm, have spent their lives learning about and working with plants in nurseries, botanic gardens and the fine private gardens they have designed and installed. They have combined their talents to create a nursery in Port Townsend which is regarded as having the largest collection of uncommon ornamentals in the State of Washington.

They have focused on perennials but bring an increasing selection of bulbs, alpines, trees and shrubs into the nursery each year. They’ll have plants for sale, but give yourself time to browse the inspiring aisles of Joy Creek Nursery, as well.