Sorticulture: Art, Culture and Horticulture in Everett, WA

This year we spent a chilly Sunday in June at an event called Sorticulture in Everett, Washington. Sorticulture was explained to me as being an outdoor event that is sort of Art, sort of Cultural and sort of Horticultural. 

The longer I live, the more I realize that I am not drawn to garden art per se and that the colors I respond to in the garden definitely come from the flowers themselves. If you love garden art, signs and glass, this is the show for you.

One vendor stood out to me. She had an unusual take on wind chimes. Glassafras Creations BY Leslie McGinnis (mcginnisl@frontier.com) makes the silverware based wind chimes shown in the first picture. They were delicate and very pretty.

While live music wafted across the park, the happy crowd wandered past loads of vendors selling every imaginable type of garden art, garden markers and actual plants. It is really a lovely show and I recommend it. 

Lavender Hills Farm had a tent filled with beautiful lavender items made from the lavender they grow in Sequim, Washington. Their farm is not open to the public; they find that coming to shows in the area is the best way to reach their lavender-loving customers, so check their website to see their show schedule. They were selling lavender cookies, antique hankies-turned-pillows filled with lavender buds and beautiful cards with lavender field inspired artwork. As you can see above, they also sell lavender buds by the bag for your pleasure.

I can live here now. I've found a source for large healthy David Austin English Rose buses. The Antique Rose Company (McElhose Family) has a farm on Springhetti Road in Snohomish, Washington. Look at the masterpiece above that they brought to this show. If I had dirt, she would be mine.

This is a view of the rose glory the Antique Rose Farm brought to Sorticulture. Thank you; thank you. Learning about your farm made my day.

This open air art and garden show is a wonderful way to spend part of your weekend. The organizers have taken great pains to make everyone feel welcome and comfortable. There are food trucks and plenty of picnic benches to sit on. I notice a young women taking a photo of this flower arrangement (in a coffee can!). These bouquets were on every other picnic table and really added a "you've come to a garden party" feel to the show. When I started talking to the woman taking the picture, she said. "I think my grandma made these arrangements. They look just like her." That statement got me.

Would someone know you by the flowers you'd arranged?