After an epic drought this year, many West Sound gardeners are thinking about water usage, as the wise use of water is a big concern in the region. Gov. Jay Inslee declared a statewide drought last spring, even before the rest of the growing season brought little to zero rainfall coupled with above-average temperatures. There […]
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
Time to Plant Your Fall and Winter Garden
Just when the summer drought begins and the early garden is being harvested, it is time to begin thinking about continuing the planting for harvest into fall and winter. If you wait too late in the year, new seedlings will not germinate but established plantings will continue their slow growth. Many gardeners in West Sound […]
Posted inGarden
Rain Garden Mentors
Rain gardens are not only a practical way to address rainwater runoff on a property but also a beautiful addition to the garden. Luckily for local gardeners, they don’t have to figure out the intricacies of a rain garden on their own — thanks to the Rain Garden Mentors program offered by Washington State University’s […]
Posted inGarden
A Garden for Refuge — and Time with Friends
When a couple lives in the oldest known surviving home in Gig Harbor and has a partnership in the creation of a garden together, great things come from it. When Cindy and Dave Storrar moved into their home on Pioneer Way overlooking the harbor in 1998, they began their garden immediately. Cindy Storrar reminisced about […]
Posted inGarden
Northwest Birds Meet Northwest Visitors
When summer guests visit West Sound country, many of them are interested in seeing some Northwest birds. Locals take these birds for granted because they are familiar with them — and it’s easy to think these birds are well known in other regions too. One of those birds is so much a part of our […]
Posted inGarden
Easy-Peasy Square-Foot Gardening
On Jan. 20, 1993, a memorably violent storm ripped through the Puget Sound region. As Mike Lasnier, then a young Tukwila police officer, headed for work along Southcenter Boulevard, the storm hurled a massive tree from a high cliff down onto the road just ahead of him. As it fell, the tree pulled down power […]
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Get The Dirt — On Home Gardening
Water-Smart Gardening July and August bring some of the best weather in West Sound. Some local folks like to say that summer begins on July 5 each year. But that hasn’t been the case this year, as we’ve had many summery days. Local gardeners will want to pay close attention to their ornamental plants, lawns […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
The Top 10 Ways to Make Your Community Bee-Loved (Mason Bees, Part 3)
Editor’s note: Now that we know the benefits of mason bees, here’s what we can do to make West Sound bee-friendly. This is an excerpt from “Mason Bee Revolution: How the Hardest Working Bee Can Save the World One Backyard at a Time,” a book by Dave Hunter and Jill LIghtner recently released by Seattle-based […]
Posted inGarden
The Les & Betty Krueger Family Healing Garden at Harrison
When you go out to dig in your garden, take a stroll in the neighborhood park or simply sit on a bench under a shady tree, do you achieve a unique sense of calm? Chances are you do, perhaps without even recognizing the soothing effects of these activities. Twenty-five years of research shows that even […]