All plants have stories. Perhaps the plant was Grandma’s favorite cut flower. Or it was that green bean variety passed down through generations of family gardeners. Or that pretty veronica whose name you learned on that hike at Mount Rainier. Every kind of plant has meaning to someone and every plant has stories behind it, […]
gardening
Posted inGarden
The Joy of Exploring the Hidden Gardens of Bainbridge Island
When I first visited the home we ended up buying on Bainbridge Island, the owners excitedly told me that their garden had been on the 2016 Bainbridge in Bloom garden tour. This clearly was the attribute they wanted to pitch more than the number of bedrooms or kind of kitchen stove. And it worked. My […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
Manage Water where it Falls for a Healthier Landscape and Environment
Too much, not enough, and never when you need it. This is a common complaint of gardeners. Keeping and using water where it falls is the first step in managing this precious resource. Planting and maintaining a healthy landscape is a good place to start. Trees, shrubs, ground-covers and other plantings improve water quality and […]
Posted inGarden
The Brothers Greenhouses
The canaries know it’s spring at the Brothers Greenhouses, located on SW Victory Drive in Port Orchard. For more than 15 years, birds have resided in this retail nursery attached to working greenhouses. Oscar was one of the original birds, earning that name because of his Oscar-Award-worthy singing performances. The birds are delightful. You will […]
Posted inCommunity News
Learn about Emergency Prep, Community Resources at Annual Key Pen Fair
Nearly 50 vendors, kids activities plus the traditional fuchsia plant sale will be part of the Key Peninsula Civic Center’s annual Livable Community Fair. Now in its 17th year, the free event is your chance to learn about the various resources, services and activities available in the local community and the area, from civic clubs […]
Posted inAt Home
Call 811 before Digging for Home Improvement and Landscaping Projects
With spring having officially begun, many eager homeowners and landscape professionals across the country will roll up their sleeves and reach for their shovels to start projects that require digging this season. During the transition into “digging season,” Common Ground Alliance (CGA), the organization dedicated to protecting underground utility lines, people who dig near them, […]
Posted inThe Outdoors
9 Reasons to Plant a Tree this Spring
Did you know that planting a tree is one of the easiest and most powerful things you can do to have a positive impact on the environment? Trees clean the air, prevent rainwater runoff, help you save energy and even combat global warming. And they’re a snap to plant! No horticultural degree required. With Arbor […]
Posted inAround West Sound
Annual Plant Sale Helps Keep Roof over Manchester Library’s Home
As the cornerstone of a healthy community, libraries are more than books. No one understands this more than the Friends of the Manchester Library, whose commitment to the residents of Manchester has spanned more than four decades. The Annual Plant & Book Sale on April 28-29 is a celebration of community cooperation at its best. […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
Enjoy the Year of the Tulip
Tulips are equated with spring, and every year between late March and mid May, millions of people flock to see acres of these iconic flowers in bloom during tulip festivals throughout Western Washington. This year, the National Garden Bureau named the tulip “perennial of the year,” declaring 2018 the “Year of the Tulip.” If you […]