By Mariana Shaw
Special to the News-Times
The public is invited to Island County-WSU Master Gardener’s Whidbey Gardening Workshop Saturday, March 14 in Coupeville.
More than 40 classes on a wide variety of horticultural subjects will be offered to gardeners of all skill levels. Vendors of plants, garden gear, nature-related and “green” products will also display and sell their wares at the workshop, held annually at the Coupeville High School Commons.
Award-winning nurseryman John Christianson will be keynote speaker, discussing, “A Nurseryman’s Garden: The Constancy of Change.” He and his wife, Toni, are well known to area gardeners for their Skagit Valley business, Christianson’s Nursery and Greenhouse, as well as for their acclaimed exhibits at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show.
Forty-five classes have been scheduled for the workshop thus far, with subjects ranging from edible landscapes to beekeeping. Instructors include horticulture experts, veteran Master Gardeners, and nursery professionals. John Christianson will also lecture on “Great Plants for Early Spring.” A complete list of classes may be viewed on line at www.island.wsu.edu. Online registration begins Friday, Feb. 13.
Christianson grew up in the Maple Leaf neighborhood of North Seattle. His horticultural roots are familial; he claims that his penchant for gardening came directly from his science-teacher father. As a teen, he was involved in a high school horticultural program. This led to a part-time job at Seattle’s now-defunct Saxe Nursery, where he worked with greenhouse floriculture crops.
By his high school graduation, Christianson knew that his future was bright green. He went on to Edmonds Community College, all the while working in retail sales at Wight’s Lynnwood Nursery. During the same period of time, he became a King County Master Gardener. At 19, he was horticulturally savvier than many Master Gardeners twice his age.
After graduating from Edmonds and earning a certificate in Nursery Management, Christianson was hired by Molbak’s Nursery in Woodinville, where he eventually attained the status of nursery manager. During his eight years with Molbak’s, he completed a Nursery Production and Retail Internship at Bourne End Nursery in Buckinghamshire, U.K. Christianson represented Bourne End at the Royal Windsor Rose Exhibit at Windsor Castle. There he met Prince Charles, who had literally stopped to smell the roses.
In 1982 Christianson completed credentials to become a Washington Certified Nurseryman, and now holds lifetime certification. The ‘80s were busy years. He was working full-time, volunteering as a Washington Park Arboretum tour guide, and raising a family. Still, he and Toni enjoyed escaping to the Skagit Valley when time allowed. One of their favorite destinations was Hart’s Nursery on Best Road, where Mount Vernon and LaConner merge in the verdant Skagit flats. When owner Bob Hart put the business up for sale, Toni prompted John to purchase the second-oldest nursery in Skagit County. In 1990, the Christiansons moved north and began a new life as business owners.
The vintage nursery underwent many changes in their first decade of ownership. Among them was the installation and restoration of an 1888 one-room schoolhouse, hauled from the banks of the Skagit River north of Conway. Class has resumed at the old schoolhouse, but instead of reading, writing and ‘rithmetic, students enjoy a variety of gardening seminars. The nursery’s 1940s-era greenhouses and potting shed were restored, and a charming boutique, offering garden-themed antiques, books and baubles, was established.
In addition to running the business, doing constant upgrades, and raising four children, John and Toni have found time to showcase their considerable artistic talents at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show. Their first exhibit, in 1993, won the People’s Choice Award. The following year their exhibit took the Founders’ Cup. Their 1995 display, entitled “Mole’s End,” earned both awards and garnered nationwide publicity. The Christiansons’ exhibits have earned the People’s Choice Award six times. They’ve taken a few years off from exhibiting at the show, but according to John, hope to resume participation next year.
Christianson plans further expansion, including rebuilding an old Lord and Burnham greenhouse at the north end of the property. The unique glass house now shelters citrus, palms and geraniums. “I want to create a destination nursery, with an ambiance that’s unique and satisfying both to our clients and to me as owner,” he said. With the best selection of roses in northwest Washington, acres of healthy plants, retro charm, and helpful staff, Christianson’s is already a prime destination for gardeners throughout the Pacific Northwest.
