Program Committee

2020-2021 Program Committee Report – June 2021 (select here for PDF)

The speakers for the upcoming 2021-22 General Meetings are:

October 21, 2021: Local author, Dr. Ross Bayton who will give a talk on, The Language of Plants, in-person or via Zoom.  Plus, he will lead a Club tour of Heronswood on a Monday or Tuesday when the garden is closed to the public for a $20 per person fee

November 18, 2021: Out of State author, Jennifer Ackerman will give a talk on, The Bird Way via Zoom.  A non-guided Club bird walk could be planned on another date

January 20, 2022: Local author, chef and food blogger, Ashley Rodriguez will give a talk on, The Photography of Food in-person or via Zoom.  Plus, she will lead an afternoon workshop for a per person fee, with lunch donated by Kay Baxter if in person

March 17, 2022: California botanical artist and GCA member, Catherine Watters will give a talk on, The History of Botanical Art and will be hosted by Marilee Ahalt during her trip to Seattle.  She will also present via Zoom if necessary.  Plus, she will lead an afternoon workshop on, An Introduction to Botanical Art presenting introductory techniques in graphite or colored pencil for a per person fee

April 21, 2022: To celebrate the Olmsted Bicentennial, landscape architect, Andy Mitton of

The Berger Partnership, Seattle will talk about The Olmsted Legacy and Green Design at our joint meeting with Tacoma Garden Club during lunch, or via Zoom.  Plus, he will lead an after-lunch Joint Club tour of the Rhododendron Glen focusing on the SGC Founders Fund area. He is donating his fee

May 19, 2022: Nisha Klein, owner of Fleurish Design Studio, Seattle will demonstrate a floral arrangement at the CUH. Plus, she will host an afternoon floral design workshop on the same date for 15 participants for a per person fee

In 2020-21 during the pandemic, we heard these interesting speakers via Zoom.  The theme of the year was ‘Connections to the GCA and SGC’

October 15, 2020 – SGC Committee “Shorts” Part 1: Fragrance Garden Committee, Ana Hergert and Barbara Feasey; Photography Committee, Suzette de Turenne, plus a slideshow of the SGC Photography Summer Photo Showcase; GCA Scholarship Committee, Bev Martin; a personal reflection on Mount Vernon by Margi Allison. Chat room discussion followed on the GCA program, Revolutionary Gardeners: The Gardening Wisdom of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson featuring Dean Norton at Mt. Vernon and Peter Hatch at Monticello

November 19, 2020 – SGC Committee “Shorts” Part 2: Floral Design Committee, Marilee Ahalt demonstrated a Pot et Fleur design for the Holidays;

Garden History and Design Committee, Carolyn Echelbarger talked about the upcoming Olmsted Bicentennial; Conservation Committee, Suzy Titcomb on the committee’s Outside Your Door project, plus an introduction to the GCA Conservation Study Conference 2020. Chat room discussion followed on the GCA Conservation Study Conference 2020 “This Land is Your Land” 

January 21, 2021 – Author Allyson Hayward on, The Ladies of the Club via Zoom

March 18, 2021- Former GCA Scholarship recipient and Landscape Designer, Annika McIntosh of Hazel Designs, Bellingham on, Designing children’s gardens incorporating flowers and edibles via Zoom

April 21, 2021 – Author Marty Wingate on, Gardens and gardeners abroad-iconic landscapes and gardens of England, Scotland and Ireland.  Hosted by Tacoma Garden Club via Zoom

May 20, 2020 – Crissy Cherry on, The Camera you have with you: How to capture your ideas with the camera at hand at Hand via Zoom

Respectfully Submitted,

Delphine Stevens SGC Program Chair 2019-2020

The 2020-21 programs were rearranged during the summer for Zoom or in person presentations.  These will be our speakers:

•  October 15, 2020 – SGC Committee “Shorts” Part 1 via Zoom
  • Fragrance Garden Committee – Ana Hergert and Barbara Feasey
  • Photography Committee Chair–Suzette de Turenne, plus a slideshow of the SGC Photography Summer Photo Showcase
  • GCA Scholarship Committee Chair-Bev Martin
  • A personal reflection on Mount Vernon – Margi Allison
  • Chat room discussion to follow on the GCA program, Revolutionary Gardeners: The Gardening Wisdom of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson featuring Dean Norton at Mt. Vernon and Peter Hatch at Monticello (select here and log-into GCA website to view)
• November 19, 2020 – SGC Committee “Shorts” Part 2 via Zoom
  • -Floral Design Committee Chair – Marilee Ahalt will demonstrate a Pot et Fleur design for the Holidays
  • -Garden History and Design Chair – Carolyn Echelbarger on The Olmsted Bicentennial
  • -Conservation Committee Chair – Suzy Titcomb on the committee’s Outside Your Door project, plus an introduction to the GCA Conservation Study Conference 2020
  • -Chat room discussion to follow on the GCA Conservation Study Conference 2020 “This Land is Your Land” 
• January 21, 2021 – Allyson Hayward on The Ladies of the Club via Zoom
• March 18, 2021- Annika McIntosh of Hazel Designs, Bellingham on Designing children’s gardens incorporating flowers and edibles. Via Zoom or in person TBD
• April 21, 2021 – Author Marty Wingate on Gardens and gardeners abroad-iconic landscapes and gardens of England, Scotland and Ireland.  Hosted by Tacoma Garden Club via Zoom or in person TBD
  • With Chat room discussion to follow the lecture if on Zoom
• May 20, 2020 – Crissy Cherry on How everyone can be successful at a GCA photography show. Via Zoom or in person TBD

In 2019-20 we heard these interesting speakers:

• October 17, 2019 – Susie Egan from Cottage Lake Gardens on Trilliums
• November 21, 2019 – Professor Nick Bond, Washington State Climatologist on Are Salmon Doomed? Hatching a plan to save a NW icon
• January 16, 2020 – Kim Seely: author of Uncharted on Exploring the biodiversity of the Northern B.C. coast and the Great Bear Rainforest
• March 19, 2020- Lori Poliski of Flori Flowers on From Garden to Vase: Growing foliage and flowers for arrangements
  • (A floral design presented via YouTube video posted on the SGC Facebook page and below, after the pandemic began)
  • March 19th, Virtual Speaker, Lori Poliski of Flori Flowers, via Youtube: 
    • Flori-tine: From the Garden to the Vase (Part 1)
    • Flori-tine: “From the Garden to the Vase” (Part 2)
    • Floral Recipe Here

Respectfully Submitted,

Delphine Stevens SGC Program Chair 2019-2020