We have been enjoying blooming roses for many weeks now and June is the time to celebrate our national flower: Cut some and give them to a friend. It is also the time of year when some rose foliage can begin to show signs of the three main fungal diseases: black spot, powdery mildew and […]
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
Fuchsias for Every Garden
If you remember hardy fuchsias in grandma’s backyard, you know that they have been grown for a long time in our maritime climate. Originally native to South America and New Zealand, many fuchsias are in local display gardens, including one in front of the Poultry Barn at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds that is maintained by […]
Posted inFeatured, Garden
Spring-Flowering Bulbs and Corms
Spring-flowering bulbs provide lots of color with very little effort. From mid-February until late April, the longer and warmer days signal the earth to awaken. First to bloom are snowdrops then crocus, daffodils, grape hyacinths, hyacinths and dwarf iris. Tulips that bloom during the entire season are available. Other bulbs are also available in catalogs, […]
Posted inFeatured, Garden
Garden Chrysanthemums — Colorful Hardy Flowers
Fall is the time of year when chrysanthemums appear in nurseries and garden centers. Gardeners may see them through the winter months too. Chrysanthemums originated in China and have been the national flower of Japan since 910 A.D. but have only been cultivated relatively recently in Western countries. Known as potted mums, they’re more commonly […]
Posted inBlog, Gardeners Corner
Fall Fruit Show a Delicious Showcase of Local Harvest
Fall is harvest time and members of the Peninsula Fruit Club celebrate that in a big way. From Bainbridge Island to Gig Harbor, member growers bring and show the fruits of their orchard labor. The group has two events each that are open to the public at the West Side Improvement Club on E Street […]
Posted inFeatured, Garden
Summertime Roses
Midsummer Evaluation By now you have been enjoying your rose blooms and perennials so it’s time to take a critical look at how the garden has progressed. Did you arrange the placement of your plants so the plant heights are pleasing to your eye? Sometimes plant tags give general size dimensions that are not always […]
Posted inBlog, Featured, Gardeners Corner
July 11 Show is a Celebration of Roses
Most gardeners love to have visitors to view and talk about what’s growing, and Kitsap County Rose Society members are no different than most. Novice and advanced rose gardeners will groom their best roses for a special July event that will be a cross section of what can be grown here in Kitsap. One of […]
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Old Roses, Companions And Pests
Many of the old garden roses (OGRs) we now grow in America came to us by way of Europe. During her brief tenure as Napoleon’s empress (1804-’09), Josephine of France collected more than 200 rose varieties, nearly all that were known in the Western world at that time. The gardens designed by Josephine at Malmaison […]
Posted inFeatured, Garden
Modern Roses as Part of a Mixed Sunny Border
Roses can be a delightful part of a sunny border and this is a good time of year to add new ones to your garden. Modern roses, which are readily available locally, are classified into several groups and the hybrid tea is the most popular. Hybrid teas are easily recognized by single, large, shapely blooms […]