If you think chrysanthemums are only the daisy-like, yellow flowers in pots that are regularly seen at big-box stores September through fall, you would be surprised to see what they can really look like. The big-box stores sell mums that are forced to flower in a greenhouse. Sometimes when you buy them and put them […]
Gardeners Corner
All things gardening — seasonal tips, inspirational ideas, gardening events, plant information and more.
Posted inBlog, Gardeners Corner
Conservatories, Greenhouses, Cold Frames and Sunrooms
In the 1980s I worked for the Tacoma Park District at the W.W. Seymour Conservatory and at the Point Defiance Greenhouses. We had a little gift shop at the conservatory with plants for sale. Occasionally we would get a customer who wanted advice on selecting a houseplant. The person wanted a plant but would admit […]
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Crunchy, Sweet and Delicious Apples at Harvest Time
My experience with apples did not extend much beyond Fuji, Honey Crisp and Jonagold before attending the Peninsula Fruit Club’s Fall Fruit Tasting Show this October at the Silverdale Community Center. I was thrilled to see 175 different types of apples grown in Kitsap, plus pears, grapes, kiwi and nuts brought from club members’ gardens […]
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Collected Yard Debris Get New Life as Next Year’s Compost
Now that fall is upon us, I have started to notice the changing leaves on my way to and from the office. The beautiful colors of fall always bring a smile to my face, but the mess that follows from falling debris quickly turns that smile upside down. It is a necessary evil for us […]
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Use Nature as Inspiration for Pruning
I hope you’ve had many opportunities to get out into some of our wilderness areas to experience nature untouched by human hands. Did you marvel, as I have, at the overwhelming beauty of these natural landscapes? Nature is a very gifted designer and landscaper, indeed. I strive to follow her example, although a garden, by […]
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Plants for Year-Round Interest
When selecting plants for landscaping, you’ll find several types for extending interest in the garden for more than three seasons. Roses, hydrangeas, hardy fuchsias and conifers are just some examples. In this video, you’ll see Lacecap hydrangea, Rosa glauca, Abies koreana ‘Horstmann’s Silverlocke’ and hardy Fuchsia magellanica ‘Aurea.’ Here’s how they add yearlong interest in […]
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Fall Fashion for Container Gardens
The days are getting shorter and the mornings have a misty coolness to them. Now that fall is officially here, it’s time to change out summer color plantings and potted color gardens. It is much like changing your wardrobe for the season; the summer clothing gets put away and out come the sweaters. So it […]
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Want Carefree Gardening? Tips for Ecolawns and Other Low-Maintenance Ideas
We all would like to have a beautifully landscaped yard that we can take time to enjoy. Some people love to putter in the garden and are proud of their artistic endeavors. Whether you enjoy it or not, many garden chores take a lot of time that you may not have. A bit of weeding […]
Posted inBlog, Gardeners Corner
Annual Event Brings a Celebration of Tomatoes
Mid-September brings a bounty of tomatoes to harvest and there is no better place to experience the many flavors than at Brothers Greenhouses Annual Tomato Tasting event in Port Orchard, not far from the Bremerton National Airport on South 3. Fifty tomato varieties were available for our tasting pleasure this past weekend and those included […]