Innovative greenhouses, water catchment systems, rain gardens, cisterns, culinary gardens, vegetable garden donations, NW Flower and Garden Show set-up, "seed to sell" ornamentals...
What do these elements have in common with Lake Washington Technical College (LWTC)?
Don Marshall.
Don Marshall is a highly celebrated head instructor and manager of the "Environmental Horticulture" program at LWTC. The rapidly expanding LWTC is located in Kirkland on the 132nd Street boundary of West Redmond. 11605 132nd Avenue NE.
What do these elements have in common with Lake Washington Technical College (LWTC)?
Don Marshall.
Don Marshall is a highly celebrated head instructor and manager of the "Environmental Horticulture" program at LWTC. The rapidly expanding LWTC is located in Kirkland on the 132nd Street boundary of West Redmond. 11605 132nd Avenue NE.
Marshall's a professional working in the horticulture field since 1979. He studied horticulture and education at Washington State University for four years. In between, he "quit to get practical experience" mentoring under Ted Swanson of the highly regarded Swanson's Nursery near Ballard, founded in 1888. On of Marshall's key goals at LWTC is "to expose his students to industry". Read More >>
Don founded the program in 1985 with a greenhouse installation on the 28-acre Nike Missile site on Avondale and 95th. The old greenhouse was later re-located to the LWTC campus where it sits adjacent to their state-of-the-art greenhouse. LWTC's one-year certificate program of environmental horticulture combines science with work experience; up to 35 students/year graduate. Two instructors and two aids teach cutting edge, environmentally sustainable growing practices. Their latest project is recycling greenhouse roof water back into the irrigation system - "to cut down on run-off into Puget Sound".
LWTC embraces Marshall's program for it educational value, and because it pays for itself. The 12,000 square foot greenhouses and culinary organic gardens produce enough product to keep the program running. Every student is charged with growing one vegetable and two ornamentals a season. Their annual Spring sale of ornamentals, vegetables, and fruit sells out. 78 varieties of annuals and 35 varieties of vegetables offer a wide choice. The sale is always on the last two Saturdays in April from 9 am - 3 pm. with a great selections both days. Every Friday, surplus vegetables are delivered to HopeLink.
Look for Don and his students at the NW Flower and Garden Show, February 23 - 27, Washington Convention Center!
Interview and Report by Bob Yoder
Photo by Yoder
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