Garden Calendar | Dec. 6

Events

Santa at Molbak’s: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays through Dec. 21. Santa will visit the store each week through Dec. 21. Also: Various Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 19, carolers will perform at the store. Molbak’s, 13625 N.E. 175th St., Woodinville. 425-483-5000.

Swansons Reindeer Festival: 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. daily through Dec. 24. Get photos with a tame reindeer, enjoy refreshments, live music, children’s craft projects and the Holiday Train. Swansons Nursery, 9701 15th Ave. N.W., Seattle. www.swansonsnursery.com.

Garden d’Lights: 5-10 p.m. nightly through Jan. 3. Annual holiday display uses more than 500,000 lights throughout the gardens. Cost: Free; donations encouraged. Parking: $5. Bellevue Botanical Gardens, 12001 Main St., Bellevue. 425-451-3755 or www.bellevuebotanical.org.

Northwest Flower and Garden Show: 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Feb. 18-21; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Feb. 22. Theme is “Sustainable Spaces. Beautiful Places.” See Web site for details, cost. Washington State Convention and Trade Center, 800 Convention Place, Seattle. www.gardenshow.com.

Gardens

Bellevue Botanical Gardens: Garden includes 36 acres of perennial borders, Japanese, Waterwise, ground cover and alpine rock gardens and trails through native woodland and wetland areas. Hours: Dawn-dusk daily. Visitors’ center hours: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Cost: Free. 12001 Main St., Bellevue. 425-451-3755 or www.bellevuebotanical.org.

WaterWise Demonstration Garden: Self-guided tours showcase plants and gardening methods that conserve water. Plant list available at garden or from Web site. Guided tours available for groups of 12 or more with advance registration. Hours: Dawn-dusk daily. Covington Water District, 18631 S.E. 300th Place, Covington. 253-631-0565, ext. 170, or www.covingtonwater.com.

Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection: Free guided tours at noon Sundays. Hours: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Wednesday. Admission: $2.50-$3.50. Rhododendron Species Garden, Weyerhaeuser Corporate Headquarters, 33663 Weyerhaeuser Way S., Federal Way. 253-661-9377 or www.rhodygarden.org.

Rhododendron Park: Five-acre park features more than 500 varieties of rhododendron and azalea plants. 6910 N.E. 170 St., Kenmore. 206-296-2973.

Lake Wilderness Arboretum: Events: 10 a.m. the third Saturday of the month, docent tours. Forty-acre arboretum features trails for walking, jogging and bicycling, and the Smith-Mossman Garden’s collection of western azaleas. 22520 S.E. 248th St., Maple Valley. 425-413-2572 or www.lakewildernessarboretum.org.

Classes

Centerpiece class: 11 a.m. Dec. 13. Registration required. Smith and Hawken, 12200 Northup Way, Bellevue. 425-881-6775.

Wreath Making: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. daily through Dec. 14. Purchase fresh evergreens and create your own wreath on Swansons’ machines. Swansons Nursery, 9701 15th Ave. N.W., Seattle. www.swansonsnursery.com.

Volunteers

Bellevue Botanical Gardens: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 14, volunteers can help dig, pot and take home a perennial from the NPA Perennial Border. Also: Through Jan. 18, volunteers needed to help with various aspects of the annual Garden d’Lights display. Helpers needed for: through Jan. 3, greeting; Jan. 4-18, break-down. Advance registration and background check required. 12001 Main St., Bellevue. 425-451-3755 or bbgsoffice@bellevuebotanical.org.

Garden Clubs

Auburn Garden Club: 1 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month. Cost: Donation of food for Auburn Food Bank. Auburn Senior Activity Center, 808 Ninth St. S.E. 253-874-5841 or 253-839-6023.

Eastside Fuchsia Society: 7 p.m. the third Tuesday of the month. Evergreen Court Retirement Center, 900 124th Ave. N.E., Bellevue. 425-885-2107.

Evergreen Chrysanthemum Association: 7 p.m. the second Thursday of the month. Seattle Police Athletic Association Office, 11030 E. Marginal Way S., Tukwila. 253-852-8796.

Greater Federal Way Orchid Society: 7 p.m. the third Thursday of the month, except July, August and December. Anyone interested in learning about growing orchids is welcome. Bring an orchid to show or come with a question. Annual dues: $10. Kloshe Illahee Lodge, 2500 S. 370th St., Federal Way. 253-946-2300.

Green Thumb Garden Club: 7 p.m. the first Friday of the month. St. John the Baptist Church, 25810 156th Ave. S.E., Covington. 253-630-7674.

Hill ’N Dale Garden Club: 6 p.m. the first Monday of the month, September-June. Newport Way Library, 14250 S.E. Newport Way, Bellevue. 425-255-9705.

Lake Meridian Garden Club: The first Thursday of each month. Call for details and location. 253-631-7107.

Looking for a Garden Club: Garden clubs in the East Lake Washington District welcome new members. For nearby clubs, call the membership chairman: 425-822-7275 and leave a message.

O’Brien Garden Club: 11 a.m. the third Friday of the month. No meetings June-August. Club is a member of the National Council of State Garden Clubs. Fairwood Library, 17009 140th Ave. S.E., Renton. 425-255-6236.

Puyallup Rose Society: 7 p.m. the first Thursday of the month. Learn to prune, plant and grow roses. Dues: $10 per year. Washington State University extension, Allmendinger Hall, 7612 Pioneer Way E., Puyallup. puyalluprose@comcast.net.

Sunset View Garden Club: 10 a.m. the third Thursday of the month. Group is a member of the Washington State Garden Clubs. Golden Pines Retirement Home, 2901 10th Ave. N.E., Renton. 425-255-0859 or 425-255-8195.

Terra Tillers Garden Club: 7 p.m. the first Monday of the month through June. Group meets in members’ homes. Call for details, location. 425-885-4889.

Totem Lake Garden Club: 7 p.m. the third Tuesday of the month. Visitors welcome. Fire Station No. 26, 9930 124th Ave. N.E., Kirkland. 425-822-7275.

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