{"id":25082,"date":"2025-10-11T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-11T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/?p=25082"},"modified":"2025-10-21T13:33:58","modified_gmt":"2025-10-21T20:33:58","slug":"fall-symposium","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/2025\/10\/11\/fall-symposium\/","title":{"rendered":"Fall Symposium"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Fall Symposium<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

by Carol Barany, WSU Yakima County Master Gardener<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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So much of a gardener\u2019s work is solitary.  Don\u2019t get me wrong.  Time alone in the garden will always be something I\u2019ll crave.  The repetitive and rhythmic motions of tending to plants give my brain a break from the sometimes exhausting demands and distractions of daily life.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But there are times when my botany battery is running low and in need of recharging. One way to get some fresh perspective is by connecting with other gardeners.  The shared energy and passion for working with the earth and seeing things grow is palpable whenever gardeners get together. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A great opportunity to do that is coming up at the end of the month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yakima Master Gardeners will present their second annual Fall Symposium on Saturday, October 25 from 9:00-3:00 at Yakima\u2019s  Pacific Northwest University\u2019s Butler-Haney Hall, 200 University Parkway. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 A scrumptious box lunch is included in your registration fee of $60.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year\u2019s theme is \u201cThe Joy of Gardening through the Seasons.\u201d  Two dynamic guest speakers are presenting, as well as local exhibitors who share our love of gardening.  Also featured is a special screening of the film \u2018Five Seasons:  the Gardens of Piet Oudolf.\u2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The variations in the four seasons are something gardeners appreciate about life in the Yakima Valley.  Against this changing backdrop, the challenges of insect pollinators are constant. Our gardens have the potential of doing important work on behalf of the environment every day of the year. Plants are important, and bees and butterflies bring a garden to life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the symposium, two entomologists who work and garden in our own neighborhoods will discuss how we can support some of our favorite pollinators in two presentations: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCreating a Habitat for Eastern Washington Butterflies in Your Garden\u201d <\/h3>\n\n\n
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WSU entomologist Dr. David James will show us how to maximize the appeal of our gardens to the beautiful butterflies that visit eastern Washington. Dr. James has been in love with butterflies since he was an eight-year-old in England rearing caterpillars in his home. A University degree in Zoology was followed by a PhD in Monarch Butterfly Biology.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. James, a local resident since 1999, will show us how we can transform our gardens into butterfly havens by offering them their favored nectar and host plants.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He will also discuss the conservation and local status of the Monarch butterfly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHoney Bees Aren\u2019t the Only Bees in the Garden\u201d<\/h3>\n\n\n
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With graduate degrees in both entomology and education, Julie Banken calls herself a \u2018bug lady.\u2019  She loves the insects in her garden as much as the plants and is on a mission to inspire others to feel the same.  Julie is a Master Gardener for Washington\u2019s Chelan and Douglas counties and a volunteer Xerces Society Ambassador. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While domesticated honey bees contribute significantly to agriculture and our daily lives with their pollinating work, native bees are vital for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem health.  In her presentation, Julie will share the life histories of some of our native bees and show how gardeners can provide a year-round habitat for them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFive Seasons, the Gardens of Piet Oudolf.\u201d<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In the afternoon, you\u2019ll have the rare opportunity to enjoy the work of a world-renowned garden architect and plantsman in the film \u201cFive Seasons, the Gardens of Piet Oudolf.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oudolf is known for the nursery he started in Hummelo, a tiny town in the Netherlands, with his wife Anja.  The gardens they created there, which closed to the public in 2018, sparked a garden design style that was more naturalistic. <\/p>\n\n\n

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One of the key features of his gardens is that they do not need to be cut down in winter. They remain visually interesting through \u201cfive seasons\u2019 to those who can accept a little messiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have been chasing this film for years and was thrilled when I heard about this special screening.  Perhaps you\u2019ve visited The High Line in New York City or the Lurie Garden in Chicago, two of his many extraordinary projects. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visitors to the Oudolf\u2019s gardens have described their experience as \u201clife changing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you at the point in your own gardening journey to consider thinking \u201coutside the box?\u201d This film may be just what it takes to get started.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is time set aside for you to visit with an array of local exhibitors who share your love of year-round gardening.  You\u2019ll have a chance to take home gifts from local artisans offered in several raffles throughout the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make your own gardens a place where you and eastern Washington\u2019s vital pollinators find joy in every season. Take some friends along, enjoy lunch, and make a day of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To get complete information<\/a> about the event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To register<\/a> to attend.<\/p>\n\n