All gardeners have a wish list: new plants to try, a load of compost delivered, a potting shed, etcetera, but there is one thing that always seems to top the list — a greenhouse. Imagine how the midwinter blues melt away as you walk through the doors of this warm, humid haven for plants. It […]
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Posted inFeatured, People & Places
Eight Degrees of Inspiration
A constricted waterfront lot. Complicated drain field regulations. Dreams of an elegant yet budget-conscious home. Hardly a job for the average architect. What the owners of this construction conundrum at the mouth of Fletcher Bay needed was a puzzle master, and they found him in Bainbridge Island’s Peter Brachvogel. Not only does this architect have […]
Posted inFeatured, Garden
The Voodoo Garden — Good Help is Hard to Find
Welcome to my garden. Open the gate and step in, but mind the brambles and thorns. Careful to not crush the bleeding heart. Don’t bump the spiny eccentricity of the Solanum pyracanthum unless you like a good blood-letting. And watch the vines; they sneak up on you in this murky light. I suppose I should […]
Posted inFeatured, Garden
Build a Better Bat House
You may have heard that bats are wonderful for insect control. They certainly are — a bat can eat as many as 1,000 insects an hour. By devouring mosquitoes, crane flies and other pests, they protect crops and human health. In many parts of the world, they are crucial pollinators and can help regenerate rain […]
Posted inFeatured, Garden
Get The Dirt — On Home Gardening
Crows Fall is the time when days are shorter and fall-colored foliage and decorations abound. It’s also a time of dormancy and death when annual plants die and decompose into great soil, while other plants enter a long sleep, storing energy for next spring. Let’s discuss black-as-night crows, their lives and their flocking as signal […]
Posted inFeatured, Garden
Flower Power
Fresh floral arrangements make a statement. Whether composed of a single, stunning blossom or multihued, full and brimming with petals, a bouquet says that you care about the details and flourishes that make a house a home. And to guests, flowers are a welcoming signal that you consider their company special. For those who like […]
Posted inFeatured, Garden
Get The Dirt — On Home Gardening
Summer Gardening Tips Summer is the perfect time to wander throughout your gardens. Take photos of the planting areas you enjoy the most. Download photos and make notes to yourself what you like the best about the various plants you’ve recorded. Make notes for future editing if you find some spots where you’d like to […]
Posted inFeatured, Garden
Creating Paradise with Lily Hybrids
Many a lucky woman has been given the name Lily. Lilies represent innocence and purity, elegance and beauty. If you grow them in your own garden, you know why. The common Lilium hybrids are easy to grow, naturalize, are long-blooming and match just about any color palette. Another amazing thing about lilies is that they […]
Posted inFeatured, Garden
In Defense of Weeds
Weeds (sigh!), the curse of all gardeners, from beginner to professional. No one has immunity from them. Some plants that are considered weeds are valuable to herbalists, like the lowly dandelion or stinging nettle, but let’s talk about the common ones that are a nuisance to the home gardener. Weeds become a problem when they […]