Imagine walking a West Sound trail through an open, wooded area on a crisp day in late fall or winter. A charming black, white and gray bird, slightly smaller than a robin, is perched in a bare tree. Its endearing black-eye mask gives … read more

Is there anything more entertaining than watching the aerobatic antics of hummingbirds? Whether they’re visiting for a sip of sugar water at the feeder, zooming through the garden (where you’ll often hear their whirring wings before you see them) or engaging in an … read more

The pandemic thrust us into a new reality, and the backyard has a starring role. Yards and other managed landscapes became a safe haven. Backyarding became a way of life as lawns, gardens, patios and decks evolved into outdoor offices, classrooms, family gathering … read more

Over the last couple of years, we’ve had a lot of practice backyarding. This is the act of doing indoor things — think dining, working, entertaining, exercising and even vacationing — outdoors, like in our own backyards. According to the TurfMutt Foundation, which … read more

For Stan and Jane Rein, the joining of their lives five years ago led to a second momentous union: that of the duplex Jane had called home for the previous seven years. The two-unit building at Bainbridge Island’s Yeomalt Point sat at the … read more

When Carolyn Thompson worked in an office nearly a decade ago, doing data entry day after day was tedious. She yearned for something different — and found inspiration in a magazine article about two women who grew flowers in England. This inspired Thompson. … read more

Barbara and Graham Wilson of Poulsbo took their dismal, barren property and transformed it into a garden paradise. After moving to their current home eight years ago, the Wilsons came to a realization. Their property “was in bad shape,” Graham Wilson asserts. Barbara … read more

Opening the gate and stepping into Linda Mizar’s garden is like stepping into the wonderland of a gardener’s imagination. Meandering walkways lead the visitor around and through 21 imaginary rooms of garden discovery. A collector of garden art and miscellany, Mizar has grouped … read more

Now’s the time to get started in your fall garden. While it’s viable to find starts at the local farmer’s market or the nearby hardware store, nothing is more rewarding than starting your entire garden from seed. What You Need for Seed-Starting Since … read more