Bring low-maintenance beauty to your outdoor space with a succulent garden. Succulents are water-wise plants that thrive in sunlight, making them perfect for creating a stunning and easy-to-care-for outdoor oasis. Bonus! Depending on your region and growing zone, you can bring many succulents indoors for the winter, giving you year-round pleasure. Succulents are practical to […]
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Posted inGarden
The Delightful Gardens of Karol and Don Stevens
Karol and Don Stevens have a magical and delightful garden in Keyport. These lifelong community volunteers and supporters of all things Keyport bought their first small, cozy home near the Keyport Mercantile in August 1975. After their fifth attempt at placing earnest money on a larger forever home, they ended up with the home on […]
Posted inHome
The Past Meets the New
After living on Mercer Island for 35 years, Jack Paauw and Susan Gates were ready to make a move. For a few years, Paauw had been commuting to a Kitsap-based job on the fast ferry, so he couldn’t wait for a shorter commute. Hoping for a waterfront property, the couple eventually found what they were […]
Posted inGarden
Seeds Galore
If you love to grow plants and vegetables from seed, this publication, “The Whole Seed Catalog,” is for you. The pictures are large and all in color, and the text is beautifully written. You’ll discover unique seeds from nine other countries as well as beautiful recipes. This is a book you’ll cherish, never toss away […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
Selecting the Right Potting Mix for Your Plantings
As gardeners, it seems we are all looking for an ideal potting mix for our houseplants and containers. Like any gardening endeavor, a lot depends on what is available, the plants you’re growing and the type of maintenance you provide. That said, there are some things you can do to increase your success and reduce […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
Top 10 Annual Seeds to Sow this Spring to Make Your Garden and Containers Flowery
Do you want to make your garden or container plantings really flowery this year? If so, try adding some easy-to-grow annual seeds to your spring shopping list. Annuals are plants that complete their whole lifecycle in one growing season. You can plant the seeds either directly outside or you can start them inside, in little […]
Posted inGarden
The Abundant Gardens of Candy Gratton
Candy Gratton began gardening at the tender age of 5 when she and her parents lived with her grandparents for a time in California. Her grandfather’s garden had been featured in Sunset magazine. Wanting to instill a love of gardening in her too, he allocated a spot to her. “I’ve been gardening and growing my […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
How to Grow Fruit in Containers
Have fun and enjoy picking fresh fruit right outside your door thanks to compact varieties you can grow in containers. Just clear some space on your patio, deck, balcony or front steps that receives at least six hours of sunlight and get busy planting. Consider starting with strawberries. They provide seasonal interest with their white […]
Posted inPeople & Places
The Short and Winding Road to Victoria, British Columbia
As the Black Ball Ferry “Coho” enters Victoria Harbor following its 90-minute crossing of the Salish Sea from Port Angeles, the stately Fairmount Empress hotel — Victoria’s centerpiece — comes into view. The scene is a bit “Oz” in nature: The stunning building is so perfectly placed, it feels as if the bucolic harbor was […]