Nothing compares to the beauty of autumn -- take advantage of the season with these favorite field trip ideas!
While the soil temperatures are still warm and the rains will ensure proper watering, fall is the ideal time to plant bulbs, perennials, shrubs and trees. It's also an excellent time to take advantage of these great plant sales:
Peony Sale at Full Bloom Farm October 7th and 8th on Lummi Island - here you'll find rare and heirloom peony varieties grown without pesticides. Can't make it to the island? Order online and have beauty in your garden for years to come!
Native Plant Sale at Seward Park Audubon Center October 14th and 15th - in addition to being easy to care for, native plants will bring birds, pollinators and beauty to your yard.
City People's Garden Store, not only do they offer fantastic and FREE gardening glasses, now is the time to stock up at their outdoor nursery sale.
New hobby: mushroom hunting! Learn from writer Langdon Cook on our wild edible walk October 19th, then head to the Wild Mushroom show October 21st and 22nd at Bellevue Community College to see over 200 varieties of fungi in the flesh.
While we're happy to forego the "pumpkin spice" madness of the season, it isn't fall until we've had the pumpkin doughnuts at the Original Bakery in West Seattle -- truly the best in the city!
Fall day trip -- after grabbing Original Bakery doughnuts for breakfast, hop on the Fauntleroy ferry to Vashon Island. Explore the idyllic island and its wonderful farm stands, nurseries, hikes (look out for fungi!), orchards (don't miss the marvelous Nashi Orchards and a chance to taste their outstanding ciders and perrys!), and restaurants.
Don't have a whole day? Take a fall foliage walk through the Kubota Garden in Rainier Beach - the maples will leave you breathless. Even better -- free garden tours offered on Saturdays at 10 a.m. through the month of October.
