For immediate release

June 15, 2026

Discovery Garden 30^th Anniversary Open House

10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Saturday, June 27, 2026

16602 State Route 536 (Memorial Highway), Mount Vernon

Free admission and parking

For more information, contact Kari Ranten, WSU Extension Skagit County Master Gardener, KariRanten@skagitmg.org

Discovery Garden celebrates 30^th anniversary:

June 27 open house to showcase “jewel of a teaching garden”

MOUNT VERNON – The WSU Extension Skagit County Master Gardener Discovery Garden officially took root in 1996 and over the past three decades has flourished as a community hub for education, an inspiration, and a classroom for how to care for and protect the environment.

Master gardeners invite the community to celebrate the 30^th anniversary of the Discovery Garden at an open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 27, 2026, at the garden, 16602 State Route 536 (Memorial Highway), just west of the Washington State University Northwestern Washington Research and Extension Center (NWREC). Admission and parking are free.

“Marking 30 years, the Discovery Garden continues to be a special place that evolves and grows under the dedicated care of the master gardener volunteers,” said WSU Extension Skagit County Master Gardener Hallie Kintner, who chairs the open house. “True to the master garden mission, this outdoor classroom provides the opportunity for home gardeners and our community to learn about topics ranging from growing local food and care for pollinators to water conservation and being nearby nature.”

Providing the public with a demonstration garden was an early goal for local master gardeners. The first master gardener in Skagit County was Joe Dupre in 1977, for whom “Joe’s Place” is named in the Discovery Garden. The group grew to several dozen by the mid-1990s when talk turned to forming a display garden. After two years of discussions and planning, a 1996 cooperative agreement with NWREC, WSU Extension Skagit County, and the Skagit County Master Gardener Foundation, turned over management of 1.5 acres of fertile, unplanted agricultural land adjacent to NWREC. In the words of project leader and class of 1994 master gardener Julie Hubner, the team of 44 volunteers envisioned a “jewel of a teaching garden.”

“This gem continues to sparkle today as the garden is visited annually by thousands of people from across the country and beyond, who all have the opportunity to learn and gain inspiration,” Kintner said.

Ground was broken on the demonstration garden in September 1996. The community, service clubs, and local businesses came together to support the vision by donating funding and labor for infrastructure, plus more than 150 trees and shrubs, and 300 perennials. The Discovery Garden opened to the public in time for the annual Skagit Valley Tulip Festival in Spring 1997, initially boasting 13 themed gardens ranging from herbs and shade to cool color and naturescape.

Over three decades, the Discovery Garden has continued to evolve, now totaling 33 “garden rooms” on the 1.5 acres in an ever-changing environment of plants, trees, shrubs, vegetables, and a pond. The garden is open daily from dawn until dusk.

Several of the volunteer master gardeners who were present from the outset remain active with the program and the Discovery Garden today.

"Because master gardeners love to garden, we wanted to share that passion with the Skagit community, said Diana Wisen who became a WSU Master Gardener in Pierce County in 1991 and came to Skagit County in 1996 as the garden was first forming. "I'm so proud of the garden. It's a wonderful and very positive gift to this community. When you talk to visitors, they are always thankful. It is appreciated and, I hope, educational as well. We encourage people to stop by often."

Herta Kurp became a master gardener in Skagit County in 1995 when the site that would become an outdoor classroom was just an open, muddy field.

“I said to myself, if there is going to be a garden, I will stick with the group,” said Kurp, who, 30 years later, remains a dedicated volunteer. “It’s unimaginable what it has become. There was nothing here. It was a blank page.” Kurp found her niche by using her skills as an architect to design several structures for the garden, including the hub building known as the “Pavilion.” With each project, Kurp said it was her goal “to take any opportunity to make things more beautiful.”

“We saw the need to serve the community. We’re doing something proactive and good for the earth and building community,” Kurp said. “It’s relatively little, at 1.5 acres, yet it’s very big for this community.”

Over the years, the garden has presented an ongoing place for learning, including master gardeners.

“Even master gardeners learn lessons. We learn things every day,” said Judy Callahan, who became a master gardener in 1995. “And, we enjoy the opportunity to share what we learn with the community.”

Jerry Sells, who became a master gardener in 2003 as the garden was starting to fill in, noted the ongoing challenge in the Discovery Garden – and any garden – is maintenance.

“At this point, in 2003, we were realizing that some things had to come out. They were not in the right place. They outgrew their spots,” Sells said. “As you watch any garden mature, you see that this plant is crowding that plant. This plant needs to be removed, moved, or pruned.”

The open house will highlight the Discovery Garden and also includes the neighboring Salal Native Plant Garden and the NW Fruit Garden, showcasing a wide variety of trees, berries, native plants, and more on a total of eight acres.

The open house will feature three gardens:

Discovery Garden: This 1.5-acre oasis is maintained by the volunteers of the WSU Extension Skagit County Master Gardener Program. The Discovery Garden features 33 garden “rooms,” ranging from herbs and heathers to roses and vegetables, designed to educate and inspire gardeners of all ages. Master gardeners will be on site to answer questions, demonstrate best practices, and inspire home gardeners.

Salal Native Plant Garden: Adjacent to the Discovery Garden, this half-acre greenspace of native plants is maintained by volunteers of the Washington Native Plant Society’s Salal Chapter to demonstrate how native plants can be incorporated into the home landscape. A shaded trail leads visitors into a natural setting featuring dogwood, salal, cascara, vine maple, ferns, trillium, and more. Volunteers, representing north Snohomish, Skagit, and Island counties, will be on hand to guide garden tours and answer questions.

NW Fruit Garden: Next door to the Discovery Garden, the NW Fruit Garden encompasses six acres of fruit trees, berry bushes, and other fruit-bearing plants, along with nut trees. Altogether, the garden features more than 600 plants – from peach and persimmon to apples and Asian pears. The garden features a growing collection of larger antique apples, many of which were grown during the 1960s and 70s. Volunteers will offer guided tours of the orchard from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on June 27.

The event will offer booths and more:

• Get your “passport” and enjoy each open house activity
• Check out the Children’s Garden
• Learn more about pollinators
• Learn about Washington Green School and how to become a master gardener. For more information, go to https://greenschool.extension.wsu.edu/. To apply for the Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener Program, go to https://extension.wsu.edu/skagit/mg/apply/
• Bring samples to the master gardener Plant Clinic, located on the patio of the NWREC building.
• Plant Sale: master gardeners will offer a variety of annual and perennial plants for sale, all propagated and nurtured over the past months by volunteers.
• Check out booths by:
  • Skagit County Noxious Weed Program
  • Skagit County Clean Water Program
  • Skagit Conservation District

About the WSU Extension Skagit County Master Gardener Program:

Master gardeners are trained volunteers who work in partnership with WSU Extension Skagit County to educate the public and enhance the quality of life in the community by promoting sound and sustainable gardening practices. Training is tied to the master gardener program’s nine priorities: clean water, water conservation, wildfire preparedness, local food, pollinators, climate change, plant biodiversity, soil health, and nearby nature.

About the Skagit County Master Gardener Foundation (SCMGF):

SCMGF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports and promotes the WSU Extension Skagit County Master Gardener Program. SCMGF is a member of the Master Gardener Foundation of Washington State (MGFWS). The SCMGF mission, in partnership with WSU Extension, is to support Skagit County home gardeners by promoting science-based gardening practices and education.

Skagit County Master Gardener Foundation to Host Annual Plant Fair

Event, time, date, location: Skagit County Master Gardener Foundation Plant Fair; 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Saturday, May 9, 2026; Skagit County Fairgrounds, 501 W. Taylor Street, Mount Vernon.

For details along with plant, tomato, and vendor lists, click this link.

For more information, contact Kari Ranten, Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener, KariRanten@skagitmg.org

For immediate release                       

April 29, 2026

MOUNT VERNON – A longtime community launch for the spring plant season is coming up soon when the 32^ndannual Skagit County Master Gardener Foundation (SCMGF) Plant Fair fills the Skagit County Fairgrounds on Mother’s Day weekend.

Gardeners across the region count on the Plant Fair as a local celebration of spring and gardening where they can purchase quality plants and look forward to gathering inspiration for the coming growing season. The Plant Fair will feature more than 10,000 plants for sale, all propagated, grown, or tended for success in local gardens by master gardener volunteers.

The annual event is set for 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at the Skagit County Fairgrounds. Admission and parking are free. Main event access is at the south end of the fairgrounds at 501 W. Taylor Street, Mount Vernon.

Attendees are encouraged to bring a wagon or wheelbarrow to help transport their selections. Boxes are available at the site, and customers can leave purchased plants at a free plant parking lot monitored by volunteers. The event will feature more than 60 vendors and an ATM will be available on site.

“The master gardener volunteers work all year to prepare for this Plant Fair, carefully planting, propagating, and providing tender loving care to thousands of plants,” said Master Gardener Claire Cotnoir, who, along with her husband and fellow Master Gardener Hank Davies, co-chairs the Plant Fair. “Bring a wagon and a shopping list, and our enthusiastic volunteers will be ready to serve the home gardeners of our community with plant sales, educational opportunities, and a full day dedicated to the joy of gardening.”

Dozens of master gardener volunteers will be deployed throughout the fairgrounds and available to assist customers. You will recognize the volunteers in a variety of ways. Many join in the annual hat decorating contest that this year features the theme “I love veggies.” Others sport colorful aprons, scarves, and buttons. Many will also be wearing official master gardener T-shirts in crimson or black.

All of the tomatoes – more than 3,700 plants – available at the Plant Fair are grown from seed by volunteer master gardeners. The 54 main varieties of tomatoes are chosen because they are ideal for our climate and produce delicious, quality fruit. As usual, expect limited quantities of a few rare and special varieties as well.

Master gardeners Barb and Ron Edman are heading up the tomato operation this year, with growing help from 35 master gardeners and 11 interns. “It’s a big effort and time commitment by the master gardeners to get these tomatoes started in February in their homes, greenhouses, and garages,” Barb Edman said. “The support of the community at Plant Fair really fuels the energy and love for gardening within every master gardener who grows for us.”

In addition to tomatoes, the Plant Fair offers thousands of annual and perennial plants for sale, including vegetables, herbs, flowers, shrubs, trees, berries, and native plant varieties.

The plant house team has spent the past year propagating and tending many favorite perennials including peonies, ferns, brunnera, lithodora, hostas, hardy fuchsias, grapes, and figs. Plants are sorted by shade, sun, native, and other categories that the home gardener may seek. Customers will also find unique pots filled with succulents, perfect for Mother’s Day gifts.

“The master gardeners who work year-round in the plant house have a passion for growing healthy, quality, and beautiful plants to bring for sale at the Plant Fair,” said longtime master gardener Laurie Johnson, who leads the team along with master gardener Jessamyn Tuttle. “Each year, we listen to our customers and make sure we bring supplies of their favorite perennials and native plants.”

The greenhouse team has been providing daily care to annuals, herbs, and vegetable starts since late winter. Highlights include the ever-popular sunflowers, basil, and coleus, along with sweet peas grown from seed from The Farmhouse Flower Farm in Stanwood, zinnias, and dahlias grown from seed from Floret Flower Farm in Mount Vernon. Hanging baskets and pots combining several varieties of coleus are available.

“The master gardener greenhouse team has been busy caring for these plants every day so that our customers will receive the very best quality for their garden,” said longtime master gardener Karen Bruce, who oversees the greenhouse with fellow master gardener Debbie Lassiter. “We look forward to helping gardeners select plants that will provide color and beauty to their landscapes and raised beds.”

In addition to plant sales, the Plant Fair will feature:

• More than 60 vendors will offer garden accessories, gifts, plants, garden art, and hand-crafted items. five food trucks will be on site, ranging from coffee and shaved ice to full meals, plus booths with packaged treats.
• Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardeners will host a CommunityOutreach, Education, and Information Booth where guests can get answers to general gardening questions and learn more about the master gardener program, the program’s nine priorities, the new WSU Green School, and how to apply to become a master gardener.
• For those with specific questions about a plant problem, the Plant Clinic will provide the opportunity to discuss it with the master gardener team. Bring a sample or photos to share to help with the diagnosis of a potential plant issue.
• Buying tomatoes at Plant Fair? Make your way to see the “Tomato Answer Man,” also known as master gardener Denny Organ, at a booth just outside the tomato sales barn from 8 a.m. to noon. Organ, a longtime master gardener, will focus on answering tomato-growing questions to support local home gardeners’ success in the coming growing season. The booth will showcase sample pots, grow bags, fertilizers, cages, tools, and plants. Organ will demonstrate planting and pruning techniques along with tips for watering, soil, and the importance of location, weather, and typical issues experienced in the Skagit County climate.
• Learn more about pollinators and the plants they love at a booth in the plant pavilion. Pollinators include bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, wasps, and birds. The booth will feature sample pollinator plants, educational materials, and an introduction to pollinator syndromes, which will assist customers in identifying the plants by color, shape, odor, bloom time, and the nectar or pollen that attract different categories of pollinators to the garden. Many plants preferred by pollinators will be available for sale in the pavilion.
• Master gardeners will offer free tool sharpening, with a limit of two tools per customer, in the plant pavilion.
• The popular Emporium, located in the pavilion, will offer gently used gardening books, gardening tools, garden art, and accessories.

The annual SCMG Plant Fair is the primary fund-raising event run by the SCMGF. Proceeds enable the foundation to support master gardener outreach, events, education, and activities. Beyond fundraising, the Plant Fair builds community awareness of the master gardener program, encourages community participation in gardening and growing local food, and inspires people to become master gardener volunteers.

About Skagit County Master Gardeners:

Who we are: Master Gardeners are trained volunteers who work in partnership with WSU Extension to educate the public and enhance the quality of life in the community by promoting sound gardening practices.

What we do: As trained and certified members of a volunteer program of Washington State University Extension, Master Gardeners assist Extension in providing information to home gardeners about sound and sustainable gardening practices. This includes integrated pest management, efficient watering technologies, recycling of garden waste, and cultural methods for preventing and treating plant disease.

About the Skagit County Master Gardener Foundation (SCMGF):

SCMGF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports and promotes the Washington State University (WSU) Extension Master Gardener (MG) program in Skagit County. SCMGF is a member of the Master Gardener Foundation of Washington State (MGFWS). The SCMGF mission, in partnership with WSU Extension, is to support Skagit County home gardeners by promoting science-based gardening practices and education.

Access to Mount Vernon via State Route 536 (Memorial Highway): Starting in May, a state Department of Transportation project will result in the full closure of SR536 to non-emergency vehicles eastbound over the Skagit River bridge. All eastbound passenger and freight vehicles must follow a signed detour.