Workshops

This is just a fun thing to do … the adorable 4″-6″ handmade cement mushrooms will be already made & painted with a base coat of primer for you. Each participant will choose 2 mushrooms & paint them from an assortment of colors.  All the paints & brushes will be provided.  Just be sure to bring along a container such as an empty shoebox, etc. & some sheets of newspaper or other packing material to transport your mushrooms back home with you. This project is fast & easy & so much fun & everyone can do it !!!

This PowerPoint will guide you through the culture, care and many uses of hosta. We will spend most of our time seeing and discussing the many and varied plant  friends that hang out with hosta. Some you may know but many will be new to you. Join me for an informative look at some new plant friends to introduce to your hosta garden.

There are more than 40 species of the treasured Lady Slipper Orchid and the average gardener can grow certain species of these beautiful plants with some basic soil amendments or with a sunken pot filled with the medium the plants require. The presentation covers what is growing at Pace Gardens and a glimpse of some of the hybrids being produced for garden culture as well as how to grow a hardy Cypripedium in a sunken pot.

This presentation is a thorough overview of being a Hosta collector based on years of experience. Come and learn the mistakes I have made to get this experience. Topics include identification, purchase considerations, where to plant, how to feed and handling pests and diseases that want to put a damper on your hobby.

Is your garden looking tired and old? Is it rather dull and boring? Well then, it’s time to get out of the gardening rut and add some eye-popping street appeal to your landscape. This is a lighthearted (downright humorous!) presentation covering eight simple steps to spiff up your lawn and garden including the addition of garden art…all in order to make your gardening paradise unique, appealing, and memorable. Let’s jazz up the garden!

What does the future of hosta hybridizing hold? What is the next hot trend? Are hosta flowers the next big thing? Are minis still exciting? Who will produce the plants?

I will provide temperate outdoor plant varieties that will provide 365 outdoor bloom for at least zone 5 and likely zone 4.  I will talk about various plants that cover all seasons, not just winter.

A refresher course on the use of tools and maintaining them. Class taught with a Powerpoint and a selection of tools for demonstration. Come with
questions.

When we think we have absolutely nothing in our gardens with which to design or are ‘running on empty’ we become resourceful. Floral design ideas will be presented applying the attributes of hosta foliage such as color and textural interest.  I will demonstrate how to make three fresh designs from start to finish.

This is just a fun thing to do … the adorable 4″-6″ handmade cement mushrooms will be already made & painted with a base coat of primer for you. Each participant will choose 2 mushrooms & paint them from an assortment of colors.  All the paints & brushes will be provided.  Just be sure to bring along a container such as an empty shoebox, etc. & some sheets of newspaper or other packing material to transport your mushrooms back home with you. This project is fast & easy & so much fun & everyone can do it!!!

Are you a plant nut like me? Do you love to buy hosta and plants in general? Do you get home and wonder, “How am I going to plant these so they don’t look like soldiers in a row? Join me for a look at some gardens and gardeners who have solved the collector’s garden dilemma. See how they have created a cohesive look in their gardens through the use of color, texture,  shape and form. We will talk about how to put it all together so you CAN have one of everything and still have a beautiful and  harmonious garden. 

There are more than 40 species of the treasured Lady Slipper Orchid and the average gardener can grow certain species of these beautiful plants with some basic soil amendments or with a sunken pot filled with the medium the plants require. The presentation covers what is growing at Pace Gardens and a glimpse of some of the hybrids being produced for garden culture as well as how to grow a hardy Cypripedium in a sunken pot.

Will cover specialized planting techniques for alpines, bog plants and crevice gardens. Also seed sowing and starting ferns from spores.

When you have lots of similar plants, it is impossible to remember all the cultivars. Labelling your plants allows you to educate yourself of the names, makes it a lot more interesting when visitors tour your garden and marks your garden in the winter. Learn about some new stake options and the economical and permanent labelling system to give you the professional look.

This presentation shows many of the newest hosta introductions on the market including those from both the United States and Europe. See the latest and greatest new cultivars which will get you excited and make your wish list even longer!

A wide-ranging discussion of hosta topics from choosing the right fertilizer to defining hosta sizes and how long it takes to produce a new hosta. There will be time for your questions too. A little opinion, philosophy, and fact.

The class will give practical steps to beautify your town or city.

When we think we have absolutely nothing in our gardens with which to design or are ‘running on empty’ we become resourceful. Floral design ideas will be presented applying the attributes of hosta foliage such as color and textural interest. I will demonstrate how to make three fresh designs from start to finish.

Sandwich Choices: Chicken Salad Croissant or BBQ Beef Sandwiches
Soup Choices: Broccoli Cheese or Garden Vegetable
Pasta Salad, relishes with dip, fresh fruit, tossed salad, cookies & brownies
Assorted canned pop, iced tea, table service

This is just a fun thing to do … the adorable 4″-6″ handmade cement mushrooms will be already made & painted with a base coat of primer for you. Each participant will choose 2 mushrooms & paint them from an assortment of colors.  All the paints & brushes will be provided.  Just be sure to bring along a container such as an empty shoebox, etc. & some sheets of newspaper or other packing material to transport your mushrooms back home with you. This project is fast & easy & so much fun & everyone can do it!!!

Cultivation of plants that are rare, unusual, and some that are beyond explanation. Pictorial guide from Pace Gardens of many types of decorative trees, shrubs, vines, and perennials and their most common means of propagation.

This course will review the history of red petioles and flowers and show their current status, plus who’s working on them Blushing in hosta will be examined with the latest results shown.

A little bit of history and the “genealogy” as known (or at least suspected!) behind some of our favorite hostas. This will be a power point presentation with handouts.

This PowerPoint presentation covers much general information for the beginning and semi-advanced hosta gardener including a brief survey of hosta species, how to plant a hosta, fertilizer and mulch, watering techniques, and hosta problems such as slugs, deer, crown rot, hosta virus X and nematodes. Class notes are offered with the presentation.

Sandwich Choices: Chicken Salad Croissant or BBQ Beef Sandwiches
Soup Choices: Broccoli Cheese or Garden Vegetable
Pasta Salad, relishes with dip, fresh fruit, tossed salad, cookies & brownies
Assorted canned pop, iced tea, table service

What do Midwest butterflies need, how do they use gardens, and how can you create a garden for their benefit? These questions (and more) will be answered along with several handouts so you can make 2023 your best butterfly season yet.

We will look at seasons of life in a garden, the ever changing landscape…gradually and peacefully, with adjustments along the way.  Then, in a moment the landscape is forever changed…and finding the long and winding road back. 

Anyone can enter a hosta show.  Using slides and handouts, instructor will discuss how to select leaves and prepare containers, how to groom entries, what to do at the show, and discuss how entries are judged.

Hydroponic propagators can be used to create multiple clones of a plant. It can also be used to rescue hostas that have lost most of their roots or have lost their roots during division. Propagators are also used to root hardwood cuttings of shrubs during the winter months. We will discuss available propagators, supplies, techniques and new methods. Learn how to make clones of your garden plants to create an impressive border or to quickly multiply a plant to increase your plants for hybridization.

This is a slideshow of the Bald Eagle and the story of how Ohio went from 4 nests in 1972 to 707 in 2021! We will see the steps taken by Federal and local governments to save the eagle for future generations.

Kokedama moss balls or “string gardens” are a unique way to garden vertically.

Kokedama is a Japanese method of planting a houseplant in a self-contained moss ball planter that can be hung or displayed on a saucer. As you create your own Kokedama during this session, you will learn the process of correctly mixing soil, choosing plants, and wrapping your moss ball as well as at home care and maintenance. Best of all, your Kokedama will be ready to take home and enjoy.

Over the years we’ve received hundreds of emails about plants that just don’t look quite right to the only thing that’s left is a stick in the ground.  Join us as we look at the pictures and information sent with them to see if you make the correct diagnosis!!!

This lecture will feature a slide show of my favorite companion plants for hostas.  We will discuss the general planting guidelines and growing requirements for the various perennials, shrubs and trees that make great companion plants in your hosta garden.  Foliar nematodes and their host plants will also be discussed. I will also provide some planting/design options for difficult planting locations. A short question and answer period will follow the presentation.  Resource  material will be available.

Get the lowdown on one of the most underappreciated perennials you can bring into your garden.  You’ll learn about the unique characteristics of daylilies with pointers on how to make them grow and flourish.  We’ll take a look at the various flower forms and incredible array of colors and patterns.  You’ll get to see the latest trends in hybridization and take a peek into the likely future of this essential perennial.

Anyone can enter a hosta show.  Using slides and handouts, instructor will discuss how to select leaves and prepare containers, how to groom entries, what to do at the show, and discuss how entries are judged.

If you are looking for easy and carefree, an Iris bed is not for you.  Pam has been growing Tall Bearded Iris for over 20 years.  In this class, I will share basic Iris care, pests and diseases and will show you why all the work is worth the reward.  This will be a PowerPoint presentation with class notes. 

What do we do and when to make out hostas happy? Growing tips, buying tips, when to fertilize, irrigate and divide your hostas.

Camellias are known as the queen of the winter garden blooming from September through to May. Although hybridizers have come a long way with cold hardiness, this presentation is for participants in zone 6 & above. Come and learn all about growing this evergreen shrub in your garden and enjoy their wonderful blooms when everything else has gone sleep for the winter.

How many of us have said “Rhododendrons?  I have the purple one and the red one.” Reconsider rhododendrons in your garden, just like hosta there are plenty of options. The American Rhododendron Society held their delayed 2020 convention in 2022 in the Pacific Northwest. The convention presented many plants of different sizes, colors, leaf shapes, and variegation. With proper siting many of these can be grown in our area. We will discuss the plants, gardens and suppliers to reconsider your use of rhododendrons in your landscape.  

A little bit of history and the “genealogy” as known (or at least suspected!) behind some of our favorite hostas. This will be a power point presentation with handouts.

Driven by the gardener’s compulsion to buy more and more new plants every year.  The class will have a humorous tone, with a lot of practical gardening tips thrown in. 

In the ground or in pots, what is best for you, what is best for your hostas? We will discuss the pros and cons of both as well as share growing tips for success in both situations. Landscape solutions to upgrade your hosta garden.This class will begin with an overview of the pollination process, types of pollinators and what we can do to improve the current state of pollinators. What is the difference between habitat and gardening when it comes to pollinators? Which annuals, perennials, trees and shrubs should be included in our gardens that will attract pollinators with their nectar or pollen rich flowers? How does garden design, site selection and bloom time cycles effect the attraction of pollinators?  Is it better to plant natives or cultivars and what should garden maintenance and fall cleanup will also be addressed.  A short question and answer period will follow the presentation.  Resource materials will be provided.

With cell phone cameras being so good with photos more and more people are taking more photos with cell phones why not have fun with your phone and learn some tips how to improve these photos.

Everyone please bring a cell phone to class.

This course will review the history of red petioles and flowers and show their current status, plus who’s working on them Blushing in hosta will be examined with the latest results shown.

Tips to help your hosta garden look more appealing to humans and less appealing to pests.

Heronswood Garden was established in 1987 and was the home of plant Explorer Dan Hinckley and his partner Robert Jones. The famous Heronswood Nursery was operated on the property. Heronswood was sold in 2000 to the Burpee company who soon after filed for bankruptcy and closed the garden. In 2012 the garden was purchased by the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe who have resurrected the garden. We will go on a tour of the garden which will provide many shade gardens design ideas along with uncommon plant selections. The gardens feature a very large table trough, a fernery and a formal bog garden. We will see plenty of ideas to incorporate in your garden design.

A wide-ranging discussion of hosta topics from choosing the right fertilizer to defining hosta sizes and how long it takes to produce a new hosta. There will be time for your questions too. A little opinion, philosophy, and fact.

We will look at seasons of life in a garden, the ever changing landscape…gradually and peacefully, with adjustments along the way.  Then, in a moment the landscape is forever changed…and finding the long and winding road back.