When Carolyn Thompson worked in an office nearly a decade ago, doing data entry day after day was tedious. She yearned for something different — and found inspiration in a magazine article about two women who grew flowers in England. This inspired Thompson. Flowers were something she loved. “I’d always been a gardener,” she says. […]
Garden
Many interesting and delightful gardens abound in our area — how fun to glimpse into a gardener’s back yard (or even front yard). Enjoy gardens from Gig Harbor, Port Orchard, Bremerton, Central Kitsap, and the North end of Kitsap including Bainbridge Island. These articles are only a sample of what we have in West Sound Magazine each issue — subscribe to the print version today to see all of what we have to offer!
Posted inGarden
A Renovated Garden
Barbara and Graham Wilson of Poulsbo took their dismal, barren property and transformed it into a garden paradise. After moving to their current home eight years ago, the Wilsons came to a realization. Their property “was in bad shape,” Graham Wilson asserts. Barbara Wilson describes the lawn at the time as “just a piece of […]
Posted inGarden
A Garden for Meditation and Relaxation
Opening the gate and stepping into Linda Mizar’s garden is like stepping into the wonderland of a gardener’s imagination. Meandering walkways lead the visitor around and through 21 imaginary rooms of garden discovery. A collector of garden art and miscellany, Mizar has grouped her collections into unique garden areas and named them accordingly. Tying the […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
Autumn is for Planting: Seed Starting for a Fall Garden
Now’s the time to get started in your fall garden. While it’s viable to find starts at the local farmer’s market or the nearby hardware store, nothing is more rewarding than starting your entire garden from seed. What You Need for Seed-Starting Since there’s a little bit before your seeds absolutely need to be started, […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
Plant Alliums This Fall to Add Variety and Beauty to Your Garden
Take your garden to new heights with alliums. This ornamental member of the onion family provides welcome color as spring bulbs fade and before summer perennials fill our gardens with colorful blooms. Most people have seen pictures of the giant allium but there are many other options of flower sizes and heights suitable for any […]
Posted inGarden
A Dazzling Duck and a Triumph for Conservation
As is typical with many things in life, when it comes to birds, people gravitate toward the ones with visual beauty. While birders are thrilled to see a drab-looking rarity, nonbirders get excited about birds that look the best. Not surprising, colorful birds are the ones that turn the most heads. The most visually stunning […]
Posted inGarden
Time for Edible Flowers
We’ve had a very chilly spring! I just can’t wait for my garden to start blooming. I’m thinking we are five to six weeks behind because we’ve had so little sunshine. I will pick beautiful bouquets, have garden tours, and host some very needed and deserved dinner parties on my welcoming front porch. I’ll continue […]
Posted inGarden
The Botanical Wonders of the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
On the other side of the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium entry gates, you step into another world of exotic plants and animals. Or should it be said you step into many parts of the world in one location? For people who love plants, the place is mostly about the gardens. Inside a botanical wonderland, […]
Posted inGarden
Salvias — Sage Beauty in the Garden
For those who want an abundance of bloom for the summer-to-fall season but prefer not to plant annuals every year, perennial salvias are a Northwest garden’s friend. Not that long ago, except for the bedding plant salvia splendens and the culinary S. officinalis, it was hard to find many cultivated salvias for ornamental use. That’s […]