• Arbor Lake Park, 12380 2nd Ave South, volunteers will be working 9 am-Noon to spread mulch chips around the native planting added late last year along the North side of the lake.  No restroom facilities!
• Shorewood Park, 28th Ave SW & SW 119th Street , volunteers will be working 10am-Noon to remove those English ivy shoots and continue pushing the big stands out of the park.  Also, we have had lots of branches fall – great mulch except those that are covering our new native plantings, so we can artistically replace those, and add a few  baby native conifer trees.  No restroom facilities!

Coming up in March:

• Salmon Creek Ravine on Saturday, March 10th,  volunteers will be working 10 am- 2 pm (unless we finish earlier)  planting 150 new bare root plants and mulching around the newly added plants.

For more information, contact Lisa Aumann at the City of Burien: (206) 988-3700 or lisaa@burienwa.gov.

Sustainable Burien’s next meeting will include a field trip to look at a sustainable garden from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 12th.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Sustainable Burien meeting on developing sustainable garden/farm.

WHEN: Sunday, Feb. 12 from 2:00pm – 4:00pm.

WHERE: A local sustainable garden/farm TBA (call 243-9366 for address).

INFO: From an email:

“Rather than having our regular monthly meeting at the library on February 12th, we will be gathering at the private home of two of our members.  They have created many raised beds, planted berries and fruit trees, built a green house/chicken coop, and have been experimenting with beekeeping. We will be learning pruning techniques with Bill Wanless of Brooke/Wanless Gardens.  He will demonstrate how to prune new and old fruit trees and shrubs. We will also have a biochar stove demonstration.  Come and see what you may be able to create in your own garden.

Also, there will be a Bird Count  between Feb. 17-20. Some SuBu members will be participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count, and we invite others to join in the activity. It’s simple to do and only takes 15 minutes! Here’s a link: http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/howto.html

The March meeting will be on March 18th, on the third Sunday rather than the second, and will be a joint presentation by Sustainable Burien and Environmental Science Center on Rain Gardens and Low Impact Development. We will be sending out detailed information soon.”

For more information, go to: http://www.sustainableburien.org.

Since 2008, volunteers in Walker Preserve have removed large amounts of invasive plants and planted many native trees and shrubs. Walker Preserve is in the City of Normandy Park, along Walker Creek, and has spawning coho and chum salmon each fall. Restoring native vegetation along the creek benefits salmon and other wildlife.

“Please join us this Saturday, January 14, to continue this work!” said Elissa Ostergaard, Miller/Walker Creek Basin Steward. “We also have several monthly community weeding projects scheduled through the winter to remove ivy and other invasive weeds, and plant native trees and shrubs along the trail and stream in Walker Preserve and other areas in the basin.”

This stewardship project is a joint effort of the City of Normandy Park, and the Miller and Walker Creeks Stewardship program.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Walker Preserve Invasive Plant Removal work party.

WHEN: Saturday, Jan. 14, 9:30 a.m. – Noon.

WHERE: SW. 168th St. and 2nd Ave. SW. in Normandy Park, up the road from Normandy Park City Hall.

If driving, your parking options include:

• Three spaces in the small lot at SW 171st St. and Second Ave. S.W.
• On the street along SW. 168th St.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This park does not have a restroom.

Stewardship Purpose:

• Improve habitat along the stream by removing non-native, invasive plants

Activities:

• Seek out English ivy and remove it from trees and pull roots out of the ground.
• Seek out Himalayan blackberry plants, cut them back, and then dig out the root balls.

What to bring:

• Your enthusiasm
• Clothing that will protect you from the rain and blackberry thorns
• Filled water bottle
• Gloves if you have them

We provide:

• Gloves
• Tools
• Donuts!

Sign up and questions:

• Elissa Ostergaard, elissa.ostergaard@kingcounty.gov, 206-296-1909 (Saturday, January 14 only: 206-707-6549)

This volunteer event is an opportunity to visit a pleasant park along Walker Creek. The City of Normandy Park recently rebuilt the footbridge over the creek, and neighbors and other volunteers have made a lot of progress restoring the native plant community in this park. This work will help create areas for native plants to go in later this winter. Please sign up if you can, or decide to show up at the last minute!

Here’s more from an email:

Calling all gardeners and their rakes!

This upcoming Tuesday 12/6 is our last Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden Care Patrol for 2011. The leaves have fallen all around, and we’ve been working to get them into manageable piles for YOU to come and help pick up.  There is raking for skilled and unskilled alike – no one will be turned away for lack of experience.  If raking is not your bag, we’ve got weeding, too – it’s been dry enough that we can still work the soil without worrying about compaction.  Such a dry November!

Also, you may be the first folks to see the new Rose Garden walls!  The concrete pour should happen on Monday, as long as the temps are above 40 degrees.

So bring your gloves, warm tea and a rain slicker (just in case!). We’ll be working from 12 noon to 4PM, and we’ll be delighted to see you there for as long as you can stay.

The Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden is located just west of the intersection of S. 138th & 24th Ave. S. in SeaTac, WA, and just south of the North SeaTac Park Community Center. The community center’s street address is 13735 24th Ave S., SeaTac WA.

For more info, contact Laura Sweany at (206) 391 4003.

For directions to the garden, click here.

Seasons’ Greetings!

The Fifth Annual Ice Cream Social will feature Celebrity Guest Ciscoe Morris on Sunday, Aug. 14th at Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden, located at 13735 24th Ave South in SeaTac.

Ciscoe Morris, a local gardening media maven, will be scooping free ice cream for the first 300 guests. Cicsoe hosts “Gardening with Ciscoe” on KIRO 97.3 FM radio and KING 5/NWCN television, and is the author of the best-selling garden tome, “Ask Ciscoe,” as well as a weekly column in The Seattle Times.

Ciscoe’s topic will be “Ciscoe’s Favorite Autumn Bloomers; Great Plants to Keep Your Garden Going Until Frost.”

The fun starts at 1:00 p.m., with Ciscoe taking center stage in the Celebration Rose Garden at around 2:30 p.m.

Other featured events include:

• Silent Auction! Bid on a variety of great items, including three Aw Pots personally planted by Ciscoe, 7 designer pots planted by local nurseries and designers, (including Clinton Bamboo, Herr Backyard Garden Center, Furney’s Nursery, Minter’s Earlington Greenhouse, Village Green Perennials Nursery, West Seattle Nursery, and Dogwood Design), a Rose Package including an autographed copy of Jeff Wyckoff’s new rose book, a gorgeous quilt, handmade garden art, a lavender basket, and more!
• Plant Sale!! A delightful variety of plants will be on sale from our garden club partners and the Elda Behm Paradise Garden.
• Door Prizes Galore!!!
• And Free Ice Cream to the first 300 guests!

“Please join us in the garden for an afternoon of the very best in gardening ‘edu-tainment,’ ice cream, and of course, brussels sprouts!” reads a flier.

For more information, click here, or download a PDF of the poster here. For directions to the garden, click here.

Summer may or may not actually be ‘here’ yet to us humans, but regardless, plants are still growing, bugs are still invading, and you’ve probably got some questions you’d like answered.

Did you know that there are local “Master Gardeners” in Burien with gardening and pest control expertise who can answer your questions for no charge?

These free clinics are offered at either BTB Advertiser Herr Backyard Garden Center (107 SW 160th in Burien; 206-242-2014) or the main Burien Library during July.

The clinics are conducted by volunteer experts who are all trained by Washington State University.

Here are this month’s remaining clinics:

Wednesday, July 27: Burien Master Gardener Clinic 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. at Burien Library, 400 SW 152nd St, Burien
Get answers to general gardening questions, learn about proper plant selection, bring a sample of a diseased plant for diagnosis and treatment recommendations, have an insect identified. Learn the least toxic ways to treat diseases and pests. This service is free.

Saturday, July 30th: Burien Master Gardener Clinic- 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Burien Library, 400 SW 152nd St, Burien. Get answers to general gardening questions, learn about proper plant selection, bring a sample of a diseased plant for diagnosis and treatment recommendations, and have an insect identified. Learn the least toxic ways to treat diseases and pests. This service is free.

Saturday, July 30th: Burien Master Gardener Clinic- 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., at Herr Garden Center, 107 SW 160th Street, Burien.
Get answers to general gardening questions, learn about proper plant selection, bring a sample of a diseased plant for diagnosis and treatment recommendations, and have an insect identified. Learn the least toxic ways to treat diseases and pests. This service is free.

They’ll have different daily specials each day as well as a drawing for a $50 gift certificate at the end of event.

Additional raffle tickets are available with each $20 purchases made during the anniversary sale.

Be sure to check out their coupon on The B-Town Blog for additional savings:

Lavina Mays is located at 17824 1st Ave South in Burien by Curves and across from Key Bank.

Follow them on Facebook and learn about special promotions and when new plants or merchandise arrive.

Join Burien’s Environmental Science Center for a FREE workshop on natural yard care on Tuesday, July 12th from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. at the Burien Library.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Natural Yard Care: Learn natural and chemical free ways to care for your yard!

WHEN: Tuesday July 12, 2011 from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

WHERE: Burien Library – 400 SW 152nd St., Burien.

INFO: To Register: email programs@envsciencecenter.org or call 206-248-4288.

Spring is bloomin’, and if your garden is anything like ours, it’s likely exploding with leaves, flowers, pollen (achoo!) and yes, even weird icky bugs you’ve never seen before, and you’ve probably got some questions.

Did you know that there are local “Master Gardeners” in Burien with gardening and pest control expertise who can answer your questions for no charge?

These free clinics are offered at either BTB Advertiser Herr Backyard Garden Center (107 SW 160th in Burien; 206-242-2014) or the main Burien Library on Saturdays during May.

The clinics are conducted by volunteer experts who are all trained by Washington State University.

Here are this month’s remaining clinics:

Wednesday, June 8
Burien Master Gardener Clinic 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. at Burien Library, 400 SW 152nd St, Burien Get answers to general gardening questions, learn about proper plant selection, bring a sample of a diseased plant for diagnosis and treatment recommendations, have an insect identified. Learn the least toxic ways to treat diseases and pests. This service is free.

Saturday, June 11
Burien Master Gardener Clinic- 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Burien Library, 400 SW 152nd St, Burien. Get answers to general gardening questions, learn about proper plant selection, bring a sample of a diseased plant for diagnosis and treatment recommendations, and have an insect identified. Learn the least toxic ways to treat diseases and pests. This service is free.

Saturday, June 11
Burien Master Gardener Clinic- 1 p.m. – 4 p.m., at Herr Garden Center, 107 SW 160th Street, Burien. Get answers to general gardening questions, learn about proper plant selection, bring a sample of a diseased plant for diagnosis and treatment recommendations, and have an insect identified. Learn the least toxic ways to treat diseases and pests. This service is free.

Wednesday, June 15
Burien Master Gardener Clinic 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. at Burien Library, 400 SW 152nd St, Burien Get answers to general gardening questions, learn about proper plant selection, bring a sample of a diseased plant for diagnosis and treatment recommendations, have an insect identified. Learn the least toxic ways to treat diseases and pests. This service is free.

Saturday, June 18
Burien Master Gardener Clinic- 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Burien Library, 400 SW 152nd St, Burien. Get answers to general gardening questions, learn about proper plant selection, bring a sample of a diseased plant for diagnosis and treatment recommendations, and have an insect identified. Learn the least toxic ways to treat diseases and pests. This service is free.

Saturday, June 18
Burien Master Gardener Clinic- 1 p.m. – 4 p.m., at Herr Garden Center, 107 SW 160th Street, Burien. Get answers to general gardening questions, learn about proper plant selection, bring a sample of a diseased plant for diagnosis and treatment recommendations, and have an insect identified. Learn the least toxic ways to treat diseases and pests. This service is free.

Wednesday, June 22
Burien Master Gardener Clinic 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. at Burien Library, 400 SW 152nd St, Burien Get answers to general gardening questions, learn about proper plant selection, bring a sample of a diseased plant for diagnosis and treatment recommendations, have an insect identified. Learn the least toxic ways to treat diseases and pests. This service is free.

Saturday, June 25
Burien Master Gardener Clinic- 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Burien Library, 400 SW 152nd St, Burien. Get answers to general gardening questions, learn about proper plant selection, bring a sample of a diseased plant for diagnosis and treatment recommendations, and have an insect identified. Learn the least toxic ways to treat diseases and pests. This service is free.

Saturday, June 25
Burien Master Gardener Clinic- 1 p.m. – 4 p.m., at Herr Garden Center, 107 SW 160th Street, Burien. Get answers to general gardening questions, learn about proper plant selection, bring a sample of a diseased plant for diagnosis and treatment recommendations, and have an insect identified. Learn the least toxic ways to treat diseases and pests. This service is free.

Wednesday, June 29
Burien Master Gardener Clinic 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. at Burien Library, 400 SW 152nd St, Burien Get answers to general gardening questions, learn about proper plant selection, bring a sample of a diseased plant for diagnosis and treatment recommendations, have an insect identified. Learn the least toxic ways to treat diseases and pests. This service is free.

Retirement has been busy for Jerry Wick. Since selling his J & W Septic Service a few years ago, he’s tackled all of those projects and hobbies he’s always dreamed of doing – metal detecting, building a greenhouse, expanding his vegetable garden, and more.

Last winter, when he found himself in his workshop with some scrap wood and a little free time on his hands – voila! – he added to his skill set once again. Now Jerry can be called a builder of birdhouses. He has created a variety of designs: single, multiple residence, funny face – and recently he’s branched out into building lodges for Mason bees, the peaceful pollinators that help make gardens bountiful.

An abundance of these bird and bee abodes are going to be on display at the upcoming Highline Garden Tour on Saturday, June 11. Jerry will be donating half the proceeds from the sale of any birdhouses to the Highline Historical Society, which sponsors the Garden Tour every year.

This will be just one of the special features on the 2011 Tour, which is going to feature four private gardens in Burien, Normandy Park, and SeaTac, as well as the kitchen garden of the gourmet Copperleaf Restaurant, and the Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden.

Ticket holders on the 2011 Highline Garden Tour also will enjoy harp music, artists in the gardens, a plant sale, raffle items, discount coupons, and a lecture on “Small Is the New BIG” by gardening expert Lorene Forkner.

Tickets for the Garden Tour are $15 in advance, with group rates of $12 per person if bought in groups of four or more. Tickets will be $18 on the day of the tour. Tickets can be purchased at Herr Backyard Garden Center, 107 SW 160th Street; Burien Bark, 13258 1st Avenue S; and Lavina Mays, 17824 1st Avenue S. Tickets also can be purchased by calling 206-241-5786.

For more information about the Highline Garden Tour and about the Highline Historical Society, visit www.highlinehistory.org/Programs.html.