In the middle of Bainbridge Island, there is an unusual garden gem. “This started out as a permaculture project, but mostly I just have a lot of fun with trees,” says Mark Shaffer. In 1978, Shaffer and his wife, Susan, purchased 1908 farmhouse on 5 acres, half wooded and half “old growth scotch broom.” The […]
Darren Strenge
With a B.S. in horticulture, and an M.S. in botany, Darren Strenge is the plant health manager for the beautiful, 150-acre Bloedel Reserve garden on Bainbridge Island. He oversees irrigation, deals with pest and disease issues, and manages their compost program. He lives in north Kitsap County with his family and various animals.
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Our State Flower — Pacific Rhododendron
All plants have stories. Perhaps the plant was Grandma’s favorite cut flower. Or it was that green bean variety passed down through generations of family gardeners. Or that pretty veronica whose name you learned on that hike at Mount Rainier. Every kind of plant has meaning to someone and every plant has stories behind it, […]
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The Caretaker
Simply defined, a garden is a collaboration between nature and people. Plants cannot be willed to do what you want. They must be treated as partners and given what they need for water, light, soil, climate and so on. In return, gardens will give you what you need: food, flowers, beauty and peace. This the […]
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What is Eating My Plant?
The first land plant evolved a little over 400 million years ago. A few million years after that, the earliest known insects appeared. Then came land-dwelling slugs, amphibians, reptiles, dinosaurs, birds and mammals — all of them hungry and looking for a meal. Ever since, plants have waged an arms race with those that would […]
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To Water or Not to Water?
Wilting leaves. Sooner or later, everyone who gardens — from just a single house plant to a grand vegetable patch — will encounter a droopy plant. The remedy is a universally known response: Water the plant. Pour some water on it or set up a sprinkler. Just get water on it somehow. Everyone knows that, […]
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He Speaks for the Trees
More than a few trees in this region owe their lives to a man in a quiet neighborhood on Bainbridge Island. Well, not just the West Sound, but elsewhere in the country. And the world. And not just trees but a few pumpkins as well. Olaf Ribeiro is a friendly man full of Loraxian energy. […]
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Bainbridge Bounty
On a quiet street in the middle of Bainbridge Island, Darren and Kari Murphy have sprouted a garden filled with fruit trees, grapes and vegetables of all sorts. While not a rare sight, theirs exudes an underlying passion for heirloom and unusual varieties and community service. Many of the plant varieties they grow are rare […]
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A Garden that Defies Limits
Western Washington excels as a gardener’s playground. Abundant rains, mild winters and not-too-hot summers let gardeners grow a wide selection of plant species and varieties. But even with the botanical diversity at the gardeners’ disposal, the “tropical” garden does its best to stay out of their reach. The winter temperatures are not quite mild enough […]
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Moss and Lichens
Verdant moss carpeting the ground and draping the trees enchants us and adds a depth of beauty to woods and gardens. A world with moss pleases the eye, but for those who take the time, there is a second world to enjoy. The Lilliputian world of mosses and lichens is as vibrant and alluring as […]