Kelsey Bruce credits Pinterest and other do-it-yourself initiatives with creating a resurgence of interest in classes offered at local plant shops, and in particular her family’s own Cedar Rim Nurseries.
Kelsey and her three siblings literally grew up inside the greenhouses of Cedar Rim, under foot all the time with their parents Russ and Trudy Bruce, learning – sometimes through osmosis – almost every thing possible about gardening and landscaping.
But not everyone has those advantages she grow up with – her fingers in the dirt from an early age.
Some people benefit from classes to learn about subjects such as basic garden design, and growing bulbs, to fall pruning tips, lawn care, and creating indoor gardens.
About three years ago, the team at Cedar Rim responded to an increase in requests from their customers to offer creative (make-and-take) workshops (for both kids and adults), as well as free seminars tackling a myriad of garden-related issues.
“It seems people are into doing more themselves… it’s a take on the DIY movement,” said Bruce. “But, if you haven’t done it before, it can be a little intimidating.”
The classes offer a little guidance and sometime give people “that little boast of confidence” needed to tackle a project, Bruce explained.
Whether it’s a free, one-hour information seminar led by staff and special guest speakers, or one of the staff-led workshops (for children they’re usually 20 to 30 minutes, and about an hour for adults), there’s much in the way of information and ideas to be gleaned in class.