“Gardeners, I think, dream bigger than emperors,” said author and journalist Mary Cantwell. But sometimes gardeners need help in realizing their garden dreams. When you do need help, two challenging questions arise: What type of creative professional do you need — a landscape architect or a landscape designer? And how do you find the right […]
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Posted inHome
An English Country Cottage in Hansville
Tires crunching a tidy, graveled driveway announce one’s arrival to Roy and Barbara Wilson’s Skunk Bay home. It lies just beyond the waterside hamlet of Hansville and is nestled on about 5 acres just above the bay. Apples lay at the feet of their expansive lawn, welcoming deer who may happen to saunter by and […]
Posted inPeople & Places
Preserving Gig Harbor’s Boatbuilding Heritage
Dotted by net sheds and home to a small commercial fishing fleet, Gig Harbor’s downtown has preserved its designation as a working waterfront. This is where third- and fourth-generation Croatian families still continue their ancestors’ fishing trade that was once a booming part of the city’s economy. But fishing is not the only part of […]
Posted inGarden
The Water-Wise Garden
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 […]
Posted inPeople & Places
Artist Interprets Color Through Polymer Clay
It’s easy to get distracted when first encountering Susan Hyde’s work. The Bremerton artist — who’s quick to say she’s really just a designer — has a signature way of creating an explosion of color in three dimensions. Your eyes may dart from one small piece of her work to the next, appreciating their vibrancy […]
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
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 […]
Posted inPeople & Places
Harmony Hill Retreat Center — 30 Years Young
On a sunny day, the walk leading to Harmony Hill Retreat Center’s Great Hall offers an expansive view of Hood Canal, framed by the Olympic Mountain range. Standing before that vista, it’s easy to fill one’s twin cups of humility and inspiration while at the retreat center. Yet, Elaine Baker arrived at Harmony Hill, located […]