Tour seven Samish Island gardens to the sounds of music

Music in the garden: The Skagit Symphony’s third-annual Gardens of Note garden tour will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 27.

Tour seven residential gardens, all on Samish Island, featuring live classical, pop and jazz music.

Tickets for $25 are available at Christianson’s Nursery &Greenhouse, Summersun Nursery &Landscaping and Skagit Valley Gardens, all in Mount Vernon, or by calling 360-424-7591.

See www.skagitsymphony.com for garden descriptions. Call 360-848-9336 for more information.

Drip, drip, drip: Irrigation systems are just the thing for home gardeners who want to save on watering costs and labor.

Snohomish County master gardener Jeff Thompson will teach a class on how to build drip systems for home flower and vegetable gardens from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Monday at the Washington State University Extension at McCollum Park, 600 128th St. SE, Everett.

He will show participants what they will need to purchase, how to put a system together and how to customize and expand a system.

Registration is required. The cost is $20 per person or $25 for two people sharing materials.

To register, call Karie Christensen at 425-338-2400 or e-mail klchristen@cahnrs.wsu.edu or go to [URL]www.snohomish.wsu.edu/garden/workshops/registrationform.pdf;http://www.snohomish.wsu.edu/garden/workshops/registrationform.pdf and download a registration form — use “Drip Irrigation” as the class title — and mail it in with a check to Washington State University Extension, 600 128th St. SE, Everett, WA 98208.

Tool time: It’s time to start taking care of your garden tools.

If you do, they’ll last longer and make your work in the garden much easier.

Find out how in a workshop taught by Bill Miller from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. June 29 at the Washington State University Extension at McCollum Park, 600 128th St. SE, Everett.

Learn how to use tools for the right purpose and how to keep them sharp, oiled, repaired and stored properly. Bring an old tool to sharpen.

“Most gardeners don’t have a clue about tool care, but it’s an investment worth protecting,” said Sharon Collman, an educator with the WSU Snohomish County Extension.

Registration is required. The cost is $25 per person or $15 for active master gardeners with valid ID numbers.

To register, call Karie Christensen at 425-338-2400 or e-mail klchristen@cahnrs.wsu.edu or go to [URL]www.snohomish.wsu.edu/garden/workshops/registrationform.pdf and download a registration form — use “Garden Tool Maintenance” as the class title — and mail it in with a check to Washington State University Extension, 600 128th St. SE, Everett, WA 98208.

Herald staff