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

June 11-17

Events/Classes

Butterfly garden

THU Jon Pelham gives a lecture on "Exciting New Ventures in the World of Butterflies," 7 p.m., Center for Urban Horticulture, 3501 N.E. 41st St. Seattle; free (206-364-4935 or www.naba.org/chapters/nabaws).

Basics of American floral design

THU Learn the methods and techniques used to create floral designs in floral foam as students make a traditional American style arrangement of fresh flowers; preregistration required. 6:30-8:30 p.m., Floral Design Institute, 911 Western Ave., Seattle; $40 (800-819-8089 or www.floraldesigninstitute.com).

Outdoor rooms and intimate garden spaces

SAT Get the ins and outs of creating outdoor living spaces, 11 a.m., City People's Garden Store, 2939 E. Madison, Seattle; free (206-324-0737 or www.citypeoples.com/gardenstore).

Summer roses

SAT Discover easy-care, disease-free roses, with tips on promoting summer blooms. 10 a.m., Squak Mt. Greenhouse and Nursery, 7600 Renton-Issaquah Road S.E., Issaquah; free (425-392-1025 or www.squakmtnursery.com).

Container gardening

SAT Plant a creative container for summer color with our award- winning expert; preregistration suggested. 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., Sunnyside Nursery, 3915 Sunnyside Blvd., Marysville; $30 (425-334-2002 or www.sunnysidenursery.net).

City chickens 101

SAT Learn everything you need to know to start raising chickens in your backyard; preregistration required. 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Good Shepherd Center, 4649 Sunnyside Ave. N., Seattle; $25-$32 (206-633-0451 or www.seattletilth.org).

Lavenders

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

Container design

SAT Get an introduction to designing and planting containers, creating pots, with soils, planting, fertilizing and ongoing care discussed, 10 a.m., Swanson's Nursery, 9701 15th Ave. N.W., Seattle; free (206-782-2543 or www.swansonsnursery.com).

Springtime pruning

SAT or SUN or WED Learn how to create and keep your maples and conifers beautiful, discover techniques for sculpting focal points in a garden. Saturday 11 a.m., Sunday noon, Wednesday 1 p.m., Emery Garden, 2829 164th St. S.W., Lynnwood; free (425-743-4555 or www.emerysgarden.com).

Pruning techniques for summer garden beauty

SAT Discover techniques that keep plants happy and healthy throughout the summer and into fall. 1-2:30 p.m., Molbak's, 13625 N.E. 175th St., Woodinville; free (425-483-5000 or www.molbaks.com).

Pondless water features

SUN Get ideas on creating a water feature in a garden without digging a pond; preregistration required. 1 p.m., DIG, 19028 Vashon Highway S.W., Vashon Island; $25 (206-463-5096 or www.dignursery.com).

Jichinsai ceremony

MON A Shinto ritual intended to calm the kami (god) of the earth whenever a new building or other construction begins; this time it is for the Japanese garden gatehouse. 10 a.m., Washington Park Arboretum, 1075 Lake Washington Blvd., Seattle; (206-543-8800 or www.depts.washington.edu/wpa).

Club Meetings

NARGS

THU Monthly meeting of the North American Rock Garden Society features a talk by Sharon Coleman: "Bad bugs, good bugs and floral discoveries." 7-9 p.m., Center for Urban Horticulture, 3501 N.E. 41st St., Seattle; free (425-391-5335).

Gardens

Bellevue Botanical Garden plant ID tour

SAT Docents identifying and highlighting plants in bloom at this time of the year. 1 p.m., Bellevue Botanical Garden, 12001 Main St.; free, donations accepted (425-451-3755 or www.bellevuebotanical.org).

Secret gardens of Lake Forest Park tour

SAT Tour features small intense gardens to large landscaped home sites. Also features a plant sale, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., various locations, (plant sale at) Lake Forest Park Towne Centre, 17171 Bothell Way N.E., Lake Forest Park; $12-$15 (206-957-2804 or www.secretgardensoflakeforestpark.com).

Columbia City garden tour

SAT Features unique neighborhood gardens and master gardener participation. 10 a.m.-4 p.m., various locations for ticket purchase, Seattle; $5 (206-723-6023 or http://freshdirt.sunset.com/2008/05/columbia-city-g.html).

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).

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.