Valley View Farms has scheduled seminars to be helpful and fun for our community. In addition to our classes, we have many informative handouts, plant diagnostic services, water testing for ponds, and extraordinary signage on all of our plants. Most important, we have friendly, knowledgeable personnel to assist in any way we can.* This year we will be donating $5.00 for every project created in our workshops to the WBAL Kids Campaign.
Join Martha for a guided walk through the nursery to identify promising bonsai candidates, followed by a styling demonstration.
Learn how to create forest plantings and Saikei trays that recreate the beauty of natural landscapes in miniature.
Refresh your landscape and containers with beautiful fall color. Learn which trees,
shrubs, and perennials are ideal for planting this season, then create your own autumn porch pot. Average project cost is $50 using one of our plastic pots, or bring your own container, or purchase one from our Container Department.
Discover the newest and most sought-after houseplants of the season as Eric R. shares the latest foliage trends and favorite varieties. Then create a miniature Japanese-style Kusamono garden to take home. Project cost is $38 and includes a bonsai pot, soil, and miniature plants.
Kusamono are potted arrangements of wild grasses and flowers—either single plants or groups of plants—chosen and placed in unique pots or trays to suggest a season or place. Kusamono, however, are anything but simple. A well-chosen and well-composed kusamono reflects a specific natural habitat—from wetland to meadow, woodland to aquatic—as well as reflects the season, or multitude of seasons, in which it is displayed. (source: The Singular Art of Kusamono, Longwood Gardens; photo credit: Adrian Higgins | The Washington Post)
Learn how to design and plant a beautiful spring bulb garden. We’ll discuss deer-
resistant varieties, early bloomers, and layering bulbs “lasagna style” in containers forweeks of spring color. Estimated project cost is $40 and includes the pot, soil, fertilizer,and bulbs.
Learn why fall is the best time to seed a new lawn or repair an existing one. John and Brian will discuss lawn fertilizers, grass seed, and weed control products to help you enjoy a thicker, healthier lawn this fall and next spring.
Help us kick off another season of fall fun! Be here when this year’s giant pumpkin rolls into Valley View Farms! Watch as the enormous pumpkin is carefully unloaded and placed on display, and learn its official weight.
Bring your bonsai to share with fellow enthusiasts. Moderated by Martha, this informal gathering encourages participants to exchange ideas, celebrate successes, and learn from one another’s experiences.
Create a one-of-a-kind pumpkin using pressed flowers, succulents, moss, and other natural materials. Choose your favorite pumpkin or gourd, and we’ll provide glue guns and all the supplies you’ll need. Average project cost is $30.
Create a spooky Halloween terrarium using carnivorous plants and festive accessories. This family-friendly project includes a glass bowl, charcoal, soil, stone, moss, three plants, and a Halloween figure. Average project cost is $48.
Photo source: https://www.reddit.com/r/houseplants/comments/9o01sn/halloween_terrarium/
Bring the kids to paint and decorate their own pumpkin. We’ll provide a Field Trip
pumpkin, paints, and fun decorations for just $6. Stop by anytime between 10 am and 2 pm, then enjoy our straw maze and giant pumpkin display while their masterpieces dry!
Fascinated by owls? Join us for a close look at these magnificent birds and learn more about their habitat from Kathy Woods and volunteers from the Phoenix Wildlife Center. Phoenix Wildlife Center is dedicated to the rehabilitation and return to the wild of owls and other wildlife. Meet live owls and other birds of prey!
Prepare your pond for winter with guidance from our pond expert, Tim. Learn how to
protect your fish, care for aquatic plants, and keep your water garden healthy until
spring.
How many seeds are inside this year’s giant pumpkin? Submit your guess before the pumpkin is opened. Tom Tasselmyer, WBAL Chief Meteorologist, will count the seeds,which will then be returned to the grower. Afterward, all of the large pumpkins will be donated to Whispering Rise Animal Sanctuary for the pigs to enjoy.