Garden calendar | A listing of garden events, classes and sales.

Dates and times are subject to change.

April 2-8

Events/Classes

The road to healthy places

THU Viewing of an video on environmentally friendly gardening techniques, with discussion and a question-and answer-session following. 6-7:45 p.m., Greenlake Public Library, 7364 E. Green Lake Dr., Seattle; free (206-684-7547 or www.spl.org).

Ikebana

THU Five-session class to sharpen floral-arranging skills; preregistration required. 10 a.m.-noon, South Bellevue Community College, 14509 S.E. Newport Way, Bellevue; $76 plus materials fee (425-452-4240).

You can grow figs

SAT 10:30 a.m.-noon, Master Gardener Demonstration Garden, 15500 S.E. 16th St. Bellevue; free (425-485-5942).

Perennial fever

SAT Find out more about perennials, 10 a.m., Squak Mt. Greenhouses and Nursery, 7600 Renton-Issaquah Road S.E., Issaquah; free (425-392-1025 or www.squakmtnursery.com).

"Help! I've got five acres,

where do I start?"

SAT Get help to developing a focus for your outdoor space and the resources needed to start; preregistration required, 1 p.m., DIG, 19028 Vashon Highway S.W., Vashon Island; free (206-463-5096 or www.dignursery.com).

Extraordinary trees for Northwest gardens

SAT Discussion on uncommon but highly worthy trees for urban planting, 11 a.m., City People's Garden Store, 2939 E. Madison, Seattle; free (206-324-0737 or www.citypeoples.com/gardenstore).

Ikebana floral arrangement

SAT Demonstration on the art of Sogetsu Ikebana floral arrangement, 2 p.m., Swanson's Nursery, 9701 15th Ave. N.W., Seattle; free (206-782-2543 or www.swansonsnursery.com).

Community garden open house

SAT Demonstration topics include: soil preparation, edible plants, low maintenance food crops, native plants, composting and worm bins. 10 a.m.-3 p.m., 21 Acres, 13701 N.E. 171st St. Woodinville; free (425-788-9846 or www.21acres.org).

Underused woody plants

SAT Learn about the importance of planting structural elements in the garden, 1 p.m., Bainbridge Gardens, 9415 Miller Road N.E., Bainbridge Island; free (206-842-5888 or www.bainbridgegardens.com)

Lawn alternatives

SUN Find out about practical, attractive and more environmentally friendly alternatives to the traditional lawn; preregistration required, 1 p.m., Emery Garden, 2829 164th St. S.W., Lynnwood; free (425-743-4555 or www.emerysgarden.com).

Master gardener plant clinic

MON (ongoing through April) Master gardeners answer questions, 4-8 p.m. Mondays, Center for Urban Horticulture, 3501 N.E. 41st Ave. N.E., Seattle; free (www.king.wsu.edu/gardening/PlantClinics.html).

Save the Earth one habitat

garden at a time

TUE Native-plant trunk show with plants available for sale, 1 p.m., Auburn Senior Center, 808 Ninth St. S.E., Auburn; $1 (253-874-5841).

Lake Forest Park Garden Club

TUE Monthly meeting; 9:30 a.m.-noon, Friends of Third Place Commons, 17171 Bothell Way N.E., Lake Forest Place; free (206-366-3302).

Sales

Garden lovers sale

FRI-SAT Book sale and botanical art exhibit, with a (Friday) wine-and-cheese preview party, 5-8 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. Saturday, Center for Urban Horticulture, 3501 N.E. 41st St.; $15 for preview party, free admittance on Saturday (206-543-0415 or www.millerlibrary.org).

Spring plant sale

SAT-SUN Saturday 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden, 33663 Weyerhaeuser Way S., Federal Way; free (253-661-9377 or www.rhodygarden.org).

Sunnyside Nursery party

SAT 60th-anniversary celebration with free lunch, compost and fertilizer giveaways, lunch 11 a.m.-1 p.m., store open until 6 p.m., Sunnyside Nursery, 3915 Sunnyside Blvd., Marysville; free (425-334-2002 or www.sunnysidenursery.net).

Gardens

Washington Park Arboretum

SUN Guided walks of the Washington Park Arboretum, 1 p.m. first and third Sundays, 2300 Arboretum Drive E., Seattle; free (206-543-8800 CQ or www.wparboretum.org).

PowellsWood Garden

ONGOING Garden is open during public events and by appointment only, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, PowellsWood Garden, 430 S. Dash Point Road, Federal Way; $5 (253-529-1620 or www.powellswood.org).

Woodland Park Rose Garden

ONGOING Award-winning garden with more than 259 varieties of roses, including Old Garden roses and 5,000 plants, 7 a.m.-dusk daily, Woodland Park Rose Garden, Woodland Park Zoo, North 50th Street and Fremont Avenue North, Seattle; free (206-684-4800 or www.zoo.org).

Bloedel Reserve

Ongoing The 150-acre estate includes 84 acres of forest, Japanese garden, waterfall, azaleas and a visitor center, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday with admission by reservation only; 7571 N.E. Dolphin Drive, Bainbridge Island; $6-$10 (206-842-7631 or www.bloedelreserve.org).

Lakewold Gardens

ONGOING The 10-acre estate offers self-guided walking tour of rose, woodland, rhododendron gardens, waterfall, statuary and architecture by Thomas Church; garden store; 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, 12317 Gravelly Lake Drive S.W., Lakewood, Pierce County; $3-$5 (253-584-4106 or www.lakewold.org).

Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection

Ongoing 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays-Wednesdays, Weyerhaeuser campus, 33663 Weyerhaeuser Way S., Federal Way; free (253-924-3153 or www.weyerhaeuser.com/bonsai).

Rhododendron Species

Botanical Garden

Ongoing Guided tours available for groups of 15 or more with advance registration. The 22-acre woodland garden features more than 10,000 rhododendrons, perennials, flowering trees, shrubs and ponds, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays-Wednesdays, Weyerhaeuser campus, 2525 S. 336th St., Federal Way; $2.50-$3.50 (253-661-9377 or www.rhodygarden.org).

Highline SeaTac

Botanical Garden

Daily A 3-acre cottage-style garden featuring perennials, flowering shrubs and trees, with a stream and pond; private guided tours available, open daylight hours daily, North SeaTac Community Center, 13735 24th Ave. S., SeaTac; free (206-391-4003 or www.highlinegarden.org).

Kubota Garden

Daily Open daylight hours daily, 55th Avenue South and Renton Avenue South, south entrance, Seattle; free (206-725-5060 and www.kubota.org).

Meerkerk Rhododendron Gardens

Daily A 10-acre garden and a 43-acre woodland preserve with trails; schedule guided tours in advance, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. daily, 3531 S. Meerkerk Lane, Greenbank, Whidbey Island; $5 (360-678-1912 or www.meerkerkgardens.org).

Volunteer Park Conservatory

Daily Rooms are kept between 72 and 80 degrees to suit the exotic bromeliads, palms, ferns and orchids, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily, 1400 E. Galer St., Seattle; free (206-684-4743 or www.volunteerparkconservatory.org)

Parsons Garden

Daily Seattle park, formerly a family garden, open daylight hours daily, Seventh Avenue West and West Highland Drive, Seattle; free (206-684-4075).

Carl S. English Jr. Garden

Daily Ornamental garden featuring a collection of exotic trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants, 6 a.m.-9 p.m. daily, Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, Lake Washington Ship Canal, Seattle; free (206-783-7001).

Chase Garden

Daily Garden with native wildflowers, rhododendrons, ground-cover meadow and panoramic view to Mount Rainier. Open for self-guided tours on Fridays and Saturdays 10 a.m.-3 p.m. April through October. Group guided tours by appointment, 16015 264th St. E., Orting; $5 (206-242-4040 or www.chasegarden.org)

Dunn Gardens

Daily Restored 1915 Olmsted Brothers designed private gardens for guided tours on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, April through October (closed August), reservations required, Seattle; $7-$10 (206-362-0933 or www.dunngardens.org)

Submissions to Garden Planner must be received at least three weeks before publication. E-mail gardencalendar@seattletimes.com, fax 206-464-2239, or mail to: Garden Calendar, Seattle Times, P.O. Box 70, Seattle, WA 98111.