The Saving Water Partnership sponsors free gardening classes in the spring and fall to help you create and maintain beautiful, healthy landscapes that use water wisely.
Rain gardens for home owners
Presenter: Jessi Bloom, best-selling author and owner/lead designer of N.W. Bloom EcoLogical Landscapes
Rain gardens soak up excess storm water, keeping your landscape from flooding, and pollution out of our local streams and wetlands. Learn how to plant a rain garden with native plants to create a beautiful, low-maintenance, and drought-tolerant landscape feature, while protecting our waters and creating a habitat for beneficial wildlife.
Wednesday, February 27, 6:30 – 8:00 pm
To register, call (206) 362-8100 or email theresah@northcitywater.org
Location: North City Water District, 1519 NE 177th St., Shoreline
Top 10 eco-gardening hacks
Presenter: Jessi Bloom, best-selling author and owner/lead designer of N.W. Bloom EcoLogical Landscapes
This class will cover the top 10 issues that Pacific Northwest gardeners face and their simple solutions or “hacks”. Problem weeds, water (too much or not enough), easy edibles, as well as common bugs, and making the most of your garden will be discussed. If you take care of your garden, it will take care of you!
Tuesday, April 2, 6:30 – 8:00 pm
To register, call (425) 398-4417 or email conservation@nud.net
Location: Northshore Utility District, Northshore Conference Room, 6830 NE 185th St., Kenmore
Less work, better gardens – the natural way
Presenter: Ladd Smith, co-owner of In Harmony Sustainable Landscapes
Come learn how you can become a more successful gardener and do it with less work. Your garden will be more beautiful and you will have more joy in it when you learn how to work with Mother Nature. Building healthy soils, watering the right amount, and other natural yard care topics will be covered.
Saturday, April 13, 10:00 – 11:30 am
To register, call (425) 487-4100 or email customerservice@woodinvillewater.com
Location: Woodinville Water District, Building A, 17238 NE Woodinville-Duvall Road, Woodinville
Knock-out gardens: winning the war on water use with great plants and techniques
Presenter: Marianne Binetti, author and Northwest horticultural expert
Get inspired to plant not just shrubs and perennials that will survive in our climate, but plants that make a knock-out statement when grown together, smother weeds, and solve other landscape problems. Learn how to create stunning plant marriages; how to use short plants to support taller specimens to avoid stakes or ties; and how to use trees and large shrubs already in your landscape as focal points to create gardens with seasonal interest that will knock your socks off.
Tuesday April 16, 6:30 – 8:00 pm
To register, call (425) 398-4417 or email conservation@nud.net
Location: Northshore Utility District, Northshore Conference Room, 6830 NE 185th St., Kenmore
Native plants: combining beauty with water conservation
Presenter: Peggy Campbell, horticulturist
Enjoy beauty sustainably, with Northwest natives. Naturally suited to our wet winter and dry summer climate, discover these low-maintenance, water-saving wonders. Peggy Campbell shares sun-loving and shade-preferring favorites, how to match them to your garden spots, and tips for successful fuss-free gardening.
Saturday, April 20, 10:00 – 11:30 am
To register, call (425) 487-4100 or email customerservice@woodinvillewater.com
Location: Woodinville Water District, Building A, 17238 NE Woodinville-Duvall Road, Woodinville
Irrigation systems – how to water your yard and garden efficiently
Presenter: Mark Guthrie, Landscape Water Conservation Program Manager at the Saving Water Partnership
Have an in-ground irrigation system? Thinking about installing one? Do you want to reduce your water bill while maintaining a beautiful garden and landscape? Mark Guthrie, Landscape Water Conservation Program Manager for the Saving Water Partnership, will explain how you can make your irrigation system more efficient and use less water. Topics include how to set your irrigation timer, choosing the best irrigation equipment for watering plants, and how to use your meter to look for leaks.
Thursday, April 25, 6:30 – 8:00 pm
To register, call (206) 362-8100 or email theresah@northcitywater.org
Location: North City Water District, 1519 NE 177th St., Shoreline
Saturday, April 27, 10:00 – 11:30 am
To register, call (425) 487-4100 or email customerservice@woodinvillewater.com
Location: Woodinville Water District, Building A, 17238 NE Woodinville-Duvall Road, Woodinville
Favorite Northwest natives
Presenter: Greg Rabourn, educator and radio personality
Native plants adapted to our soil and climate solve many landscape woes — less watering, less need for pesticides and fertilizers, and less chance of introduction and spread of invasive species. They also attract valuable native wildlife. You’ll come away with design tips and species recommendations to make your own Northwest native haven. Discover just how beautiful, sustainable, and low-maintenance gardening can be with native plants!
Tuesday, April 30, 6:30 – 8:00 pm
To register, call (425) 398-4417 or email conservation@nud.net
Location: Northshore Utility District, Northshore Conference Room, 6830 NE 185th St., Kenmore