If you have roses in your garden that were planted two or three years ago, you probably need to prune them for their best health, shape and size. Pruning roses is an annual task. After you gather and sharpen your pruners and possibly also loppers, you are ready to evaluate the rose bush from the […]
Elena J. Williams
An American Rose Society Master Consulting Rosarian, Elena J. Williams grows 160 roses in Kitsap County. Sixty of those roses were moved from Minnesota ten years ago and are thriving better than they could have in the frozen tundra. Elena is retired from being a teacher librarian and she participates in Kitsap Rose Society and Tacoma Rose Society.
Posted inGarden
Roses for Every Garden
Roses are perennial shrubs and the modern varieties bloom continuously from late May until October, while many other perennial plants bloom only once each season. The past 20 years of rose hybridizing has produced many disease-resistant roses that will be in the regional market soon. Valley Nursery in Poulsbo and Raft Island Roses in Gig […]
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The Brothers Greenhouses
The canaries know it’s spring at the Brothers Greenhouses, located on SW Victory Drive in Port Orchard. For more than 15 years, birds have resided in this retail nursery attached to working greenhouses. Oscar was one of the original birds, earning that name because of his Oscar-Award-worthy singing performances. The birds are delightful. You will […]
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Poulsbo’s Valley Nursery
One of the first sights you will see as you arrive at Valley Nursery in Poulsbo is a statue that a local wood carver made in the late 1980s. This mascot was named as the result of a contest and has been known ever since as Valnur. The name sounds foreign but it actually came […]
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Bainbridge Gardens Celebrates 60 Years of Family Business
In 1908, Zenhichi Harui came to Bainbridge Island from Japan and started growing plants and flowers, selling them at a small farm stand. The business grew to include a general store, gas station and gardens that attracted visitors from far and wide. The gardens fell to ruin during World War II, when the Haruis and […]
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Winter in the Garden at Bloedel Reserve
Winter in the Northwest may not be the time of year when some people think of visiting a garden, but Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island embraces nature during every season of the year. History Prentice Bloedel, an innovator of the timber industry, and his wife, Virginia, purchased 150 acres with a residence in 1951 and […]
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Hydrangeas — The Classic Flowering Shrubs
Many years ago, your grandma probably grew a hydrangea in her garden, but modern plant breeders have moved beyond simple, white snowballs. These flowering shrubs are becoming popular again, as shown by the many colorful cultivars currently being offered for sale. Once you know your intended planting location, variety type can be selected. They work […]
Posted inPeople & Places
Raft Island Roses in Gig Harbor
What started out as one man’s hobby has grown into a nursery with a reputation for quality plants with reasonable prices. Raft Island Roses had its beginning in 1997 when Frank Gatto, originally from Burien, retired from his first career and began selling roses at farmers markets. Over 20 years, the business has grown along […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
What To Do with Garlic you Planted Last Fall
If you planted garlic cloves as I suggested last fall, you will be rewarded with complete garlic heads this month. If you plant in the fall, June supplies tasty garlicscapes that should be cut off and can be used to flavor your oil for stir fry veggies or other dishes that need a light garlic […]