WELCOME TO OUR 2019 SEASON!
We look forward to seeing you this weekend!
Welcome to our 27th year! Our opening day is tomorrow, Friday, March 1, and throughout the month we’ll be open 4 days a week from 9 am to 5 pm on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
We’re always surprised at how fast the winter goes by, and this year is
no different! Our team has been hard at work and we’re excited to greet
you with a new Entrance Sign and plantings (they’ll be ready soon!) and
several soil product structures. Inside the store we have filled-out
our offerings of tools, seeds, and soil products. (Next week be sure to read all about our soil-life-enhancing product offerings!)
Many renowned experts will be joining us this year for our weekend
classes. Below we feature our March classes and soon we’ll be sharing
our full schedule of classes for the entire season. Please share this blog with friends and neighbors that you think would like to attend our classes!
Our first two weekends of classes through Sunday, March 10 are especially exciting with Tom Theobald of Niwot Honey Farm sharing the importance of our native Mason Bees on Saturday, March 2 at 1:00 in “Mason Beekeeping”. The next day, Sunday at 1:00, Mikl presents his ever-popular “Planting by the Moon & Stars” class utilizing the Stella Natura Biodynamic Calendar, which will be available for sale.
We kick-off the following weekend on Saturday, March 9 at 10 AM, with two of our favorite Permaculturists, Tara Rae Kent and Daniela Escudero sharing some important principles to create more resilient and regenerative systems in our own gardens in their “Intro to Permaculture” class. Best of all, we’re offering this class with Free Admission!
Stick around on March 9 because at 1:00 we have a one-time-only presentation on “Cover Crops: Why, How and Which” with Clark Harshbarger.
Clark who is employed with the USDA-NRCS as a soil scientist and
recently as director of Regenerative Farming at MAD Agriculture, will
soon be moving to eastern US. For this special presentation we are
renting a larger space next door at the Boulder Circus Center. This special class is only $20.
Finally on Sunday, March 10 at 1:00 pm, Mikl with share how to address “Fireblight” issues, which were a hardship for many gardeners last year.
An exciting kick-off to our 2019 classes! See below for more details and call 303-939-9403 to reserve your seat!
MARCH CLASS LIST
Call 303-939-9403 to reserve your seat!
Our weekends are loaded with great classes you won’t want to miss! Our customers tell us that our classes have given them tremendous value, with practical and current information from local experts who
have spent years honing their skills in Colorado and will help guide
you to success. We are charging $15 (unless otherwise stated) for our
classes to support our speakers and Harlequin’s educational direction. It is best to pre-register for these classes both in case they fill up, or too few people register and we have to cancel. Pre-payment assures your place in the class. You can register at the nursery, by mail, or by calling 303-939-9403.
We are unable to take class registration by email at this time. Most
of our classes run from one-and-a-half to two hours in length, and
sometimes longer for hands-on classes, or if there are a large number of
questions. See the complete March Class listing below, or on our website.
Sat, Mar 2 at 1 PM
Mason Beekeeping with Tom Theobald
The
importance of our native ‘solitary’ bee species to the pollination of
our crops, flowers, and native plants is receiving increased attention.
For over 30 years, Tom Theobald of Niwot Honey Farm has been propagating one of the most ‘useful’ species, Mason Bees (Blue Orchard Bees),
and will teach how to attract and care for these gentle native
pollinators. Mason Bees are not a replacement for honeybees, but they are excellent pollinators of the early fruits – cherries, apples, etc. They
stay close to home, don’t sting, don’t require the year-round
commitment of a colony of honeybees and provide a great way to introduce
children to the world of pollinators. Harlequin’s Gardens will have
filled straws (containing male and female adult bees in hibernation) for
sale for $12 a straw.
IMPORTANT: You must RESERVE your Mason Bee straws IN ADVANCE by calling Harlequin’s Gardens at 303-939-9403. Pre-payment of mason bee straws is required. Class cost: $15. (This class will be repeated on Saturday, March 16th at 1 pm.)
Sun, Mar 3 at 1 PM
Planting by the Moon & Stars with Mikl Brawner
The moon and planets influence life on Earth. Mikl
has been planting by the Biodynamic Calendar for 20 years with great
success. Be in-sync with the cosmic rhythms to maximize your garden’s
effectiveness and yield. Stella Natura Biodynamic Calendars will be
available for sale. Class cost: $15
Sat, Mar 9 at 10 AM
Introduction to Permaculture with Tara Rae Kent & Daniela Escudero
Permaculture is a design science that is informed by cycles and patterns in nature. This helps us create more resilient and regenerative systems, whether those systems are gardens, farms, businesses, or events. We
will explore the ethics that guide a permaculture design and the
principles that help a design take form, as well as real life examples
and projects that are a part of our lives. The class will
include: 1) an introduction and exploration of the Permaculture Ethics
and Principles, 2) real life, active and diverse examples of
permaculture designs, and 3) a tour of Harlequin’s Garden’s Permaculture
Design. Free admission!
Sat, Mar 9 at 1 PM
Cover Crops for Gardeners: Why, How & Which with Clark Harshbarger
In
the current soil revolution, we are learning how to nurture and care
for our soils and the soil life that is the true source of soil
fertility. Cover crops are becoming recognized as one of the keys to soil fertility and soil health.
When our annual crops die in the fall, if we do not replace those crops
with living plants, then the microbes that depend on the nutrients
“leaked” into the soil from plant roots, will die or decrease. Besides
that, cover crops are a method to use photosynthesis to grow organic
matter and nutrients including nitrogen to add to the soil, so we have
to buy fewer amendments. In addition, many cover crops support beneficial insects which help control pest insects, and they reduce erosion.
But which cover crops do well in Colorado and when do we plant them and
when should we cut them, and how do we prevent them from becoming weeds
or competitors? And how best to combine them? Harlequin’s Gardens has been looking for someone to teach us these things, who really knows how to do it in our local conditions. And this year we found the right person. So this is a great opportunity that will not be available next year, because Clark Harshbarger will
be moving to eastern US. For the last two decades, Clark was employed
with the USDA-NRCS as a soil scientist and recently as director of
Regenerative Farming at MAD Agriculture.
We have rented a bigger space than our classroom, but people will have to register ahead of time to make sure they get a seat. Clark’s class will be held at the Boulder Circus Center, next door to Harlequin’s Gardens, south in the big metal building in the Trixie Room. Register by phone at 303-939-9403. This will be a 2 hour class and we will be charging only $20.
Sun, Mar 10 at 1 PM
Fireblight: Pruning, Nutrition & Culture with Mikl Brawner
Last year was the worst year for this bad bacterial disease of apples and pears. Mikl has had over 40 years of experience with fireblight, and will teach and demonstrate proper pruning, and explain how to bring a tree back to health even if a lot of the tree is blighted. Class cost: $15
Sat, Mar 16 at 10 AM
Getting Started in Vegetable Gardening with Mimi Yanus
If you are new to Colorado, new to
vegetable gardening, or have been unhappy with the results of your
earlier attempts, this class is for you. Learn from Mimi what
you need to know to make your new organic vegetable garden successful
and bountiful, even in Colorado conditions! Class cost: $15. (This
class will be repeated on Saturday, April 6th at 10 am.)
Sat, Mar 16 at 1 PM
Mason Beekeeping with Tom Theobald
The
importance of our native ‘solitary’ bee species to the pollination of
our crops, flowers, and native plants is receiving increased attention.
For over 30 years, Tom Theobald of Niwot Honey Farm has been propagating one of the most ‘useful’ species, Mason Bees (Blue Orchard Bees),
and will teach how to attract and care for these gentle native
pollinators. Mason Bees are not a replacement for honeybees, but they are excellent pollinators of the early fruits – cherries, apples, etc. They
stay close to home, don’t sting, don’t require the year-round
commitment of a colony of honeybees and provide a great way to introduce
children to the world of pollinators. Harlequin’s Gardens will have
filled straws (containing male and female adult bees in hibernation) for
sale for $12 a straw.
IMPORTANT: You must RESERVE your Mason Bee straws IN ADVANCE by calling Harlequin’s Gardens at 303-939-9403. Pre-payment of mason bee straws is required. Class cost: $15. (Note: this class is a repeat of Tom’s March 2 class.)
Sun, Mar 17 at 1 PM
Dwarf Conifers for Gardens and Landscapes with Kirk Fieseler
A renowned expert in conifers at Laporte Avenue Nursery in Fort Collins, Kirk Fieseler will discuss dwarf conifers for small landscapes and rock gardens. Learn the origins and propagation techniques for dwarf conifers as well as how to grow them in containers and in the garden. Kirk will talk about the most successful species for our climate and soils. Class cost: $15. (Pictured right: Farmy, P. edulis. Photo by Kirk Fieseler.)
Wed, Mar 20 – First Day of Spring
Sat, Mar 23 at 1 PM
Get Equipped for Beekeeping with Kristina Williams
For beginning and established beekeepers, alike! Kristina will demonstrate how to build and crosswire frames. Learn the lingo of beekeeping supplies and take a tour of our Bee Barn. Harlequin’s
Gardens is upgrading frames and foundation to be as strong as they can
be and still use beeswax. Our resident entomologist and Bee Barn Babe,
Kristina Williams, will share her vast knowledge with you! Free Admission! (Photo credit, right: Red Hot Pepper)
Sun, Mar 24 at 1 PM
Building Topsoil & Fertility with Mikl Brawner
Mikl will discuss how to support soil life, enrich poor soils, and improve plant health and nutrition from the bottom up: composts, fertilizers, mulching, worms, deficiencies, and tilth. Class cost: $15
Sun, Mar 31 at 1 PM
Cold Hardy Cacti and Succulents with Kelly Grummons
We are proud to present acclaimed CO horticulturist Kelly Grummons, director of Prairie Storm Nursery, a business that includes ColdHardyCactus.com and DogTuffGrass.com! An
expert in selection and propagation of rare and unique plants for
Colorado, Kelly will discuss a variety of exceptional new winter hardy
cacti, agaves, yuccas, and outdoor succulents, and include choosing
appropriate sites, soil prep, fertilizing, and ongoing care. Class cost:
$20. (Photo credit, left: ColdHardCactus.com)
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We’re looking forward to seeing you when we open tomorrow, Friday, March 1! In March we are open every Thursday-Sunday, 9-5.
In gratitude,
Eve, Mikl
and the super hard-working Staff at Harlequin’s Gardens