My name is Chloe, and I am serving at the University of Washington Botanic Gardens through AmeriCorps and Washington Service Corps. Before I go into the duties of my specific position, I’d like to give a brief explanation of what it means to serve as an AmeriCorps member. AmeriCorps members often find themselves recruiting volunteers and promoting active community engagement to better serve their local neighborhood. 

Originally posted July 1, 2014
An evergreen hydrangea?!!  You betcha!
There are very few evergreen vines for gardeners in the Pacific Northwest, but this gorgeous gem from Asia is  becoming more readily available and it’s simply one of the coolest flowers you’ll ever get to witness opening.
From plump, peony-like buds, they begin to slowly crack open, a froth of fertile flowers begin to form and over the course of a few days, a flat umbel “lacecap” begins to form. 

This month, instead of profiling a plant, we’ll be profiling a completely different kind of organism… slime molds!
In the fall of 2015, the Elisabeth C. Miller Library at the Center for Urban Horticulture held an art exhibit about slime molds: Now You See It, the Slime Mold Revelation! I had never head of these organisms and was intrigued by the art display and the amazing enlarged photographs of their fruiting bodies. 

Greetings UW farm fans! The big heatwave has broken (for now at least) and we’re settling into July under a comfortingly familiar partially cloudy sky. That burst of heat might have made us uncomfortable but it was great for our crops and all of the plots on the farm are exploding with life! Here’s a glimpse of what is growing and what is being harvested on the farm in July:
Growing at Mercer: Asparagus, Turnips, Carrots, Rhubarb, Horseradish, lettuce, Parsnips, Basil, Cilantro, Potatoes, Tomatillos, Mushrooms, radishes, Broccoli, Onions, Beans, Leeks, Chinese Cabbage, Bog Choi, Beets, Mixed Cutting Greens (mizuna, mustard greens, arugula, etc), Cauliflower, and Perennial Herbs. 

You can always find something wonderful and delicious on the UW Farm! This time of year marks the tomato growing season. At an earlier May work party a great mix of tomato varieties were planted at the Center for Urban Horticulture location. Come see what is growing!
What Varieties Did We Plant?

Cherokee Purple
Indigo Rose

A very beautifully purple tomato

Striped German

A lovely heirloom tomato with ribbed shoulders

Jaune Flamee
Kellogg’s Breakfast

Named one of the best heirlooms by Sunset Magazine

Japanese Trifele

Small, pear-shaped tomato

Black Prince
Green Zebra
Black Krim
Hungarian Heart
Ananas Noire

Green, purple, yellow, orange colors all in one tomato!