Long Lake Garden Club, Port Orchard, celebrated 90 years in July at Adventure of Faith Church. Entertainment was Lesley Niemi and Courtney Turnley, soloists from Western Washington Center for the Arts, who sang a medley of songs. Edy Thornton led a Vintage Fashion … read more

There is a small bit of paradise in Indianola. The garden of Dalreen and Alan Quyn is planted abundantly with flowering plants from one border of the property to the other. Not a square inch of bare ground can be seen from February … read more

Shade can be a problem for many gardeners, especially if one desires sun-loving perennials or roses. Dortha Murker has created a spark of light and joy in a deeply shaded garden. Located at the terminus of a dead-end street near Lake Symington, her … read more

When Cora Reuter was a little girl, her school bus passed a blooming flower garden every afternoon. “It brought me such joy,” she recalled. Middle school years were hard for her, and the garden, full of bursting colors, made her neighborhood brighter. Now, … read more

Spending hours in your garden sounds like a dreamy afternoon until neck pain develops. Holding your head at odd angles to dig or pull weeds can create discomfort that lingers the rest of the day. “Prolonged forward flexion — when your head and … read more

Jill Betts and her husband, Michael, have created a profusely planted, abundant garden on their 2.5-acre property off the Seabeck Highway. In April 2020 (at the beginning of the gardening season), she began a five-year labor of love and perhaps “obsession.” Michael Betts, … read more

It has been a while since I have given you an update on what I have to offer on the farm at the moment and in the coming months. The sweet peas are now blooming beautifully and this year, I have grown more … read more

Roots run so deep at WillaBella Farm in Gig Harbor that they go all the way back to 1912. The unassuming farmhouse, with its fir lumber flooring and arched doorways, still stands. As does the guest house, which was first a woodworking shop. … read more

Pruning, or the practice of removing dead or diseased branches from flowering plants — including certain herbs, vegetables, shrubs, trees and flowers — allows them to focus their energy on new growth and blossoms, which can result in a more robust and abundant … read more