The holidays are a time for resting a bit from gardening tasks and especially a time for friends and family. Since gardening and birds often go together, if you’re lucky, you may see a snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus) passing through this region. It’s also a good time to select and peruse gardening books for yourself […]
gardening
Posted inFeatured, The Garden
Garden Chrysanthemums — Colorful Hardy Flowers
Fall is the time of year when chrysanthemums appear in nurseries and garden centers. Gardeners may see them through the winter months too. Chrysanthemums originated in China and have been the national flower of Japan since 910 A.D. but have only been cultivated relatively recently in Western countries. Known as potted mums, they’re more commonly […]
Posted inBlog, Gardeners Corner
Fall Fruit Show a Delicious Showcase of Local Harvest
Fall is harvest time and members of the Peninsula Fruit Club celebrate that in a big way. From Bainbridge Island to Gig Harbor, member growers bring and show the fruits of their orchard labor. The group has two events each that are open to the public at the West Side Improvement Club on E Street […]
Posted inBlog, Featured, Gardeners Corner
Water Gardening in Containers
Jan Bahr from Roadhouse Nursery on Central Valley Road recently showed us how to create water gardens in containers. You don’t need a huge piece of land or large construction equipment to enjoy a water garden feature. Smaller water gardens can be created in a bathtub, a waterproof and weatherproof container and even in containers […]
Posted inFeatured, The Garden
Dahlias
Dahlias are synonymous with fall. Lush blooms brighten private gardens and public places like the Silverdale Post Office, Port Gamble Post Office and local farmers markets. Gardeners and appreciators of these blowsy, colorful plants can purchase them in bouquets galore or even in containers to plant outside for a few last blasts of festive hues […]
Posted inFeatured, The Garden
Save it From a Rainy Day — Rainwater Harvesting
After the severe decline in this year’s snowpack, Gov. Jay Inslee declared a statewide drought in May. By July, runoff from snowpack had disappeared and 83 percent of the state’s streams and rivers were reported running at below normal or record low flows. For counties like Kitsap, whose dominant source of water is groundwater, not […]
Posted inBlog, Featured, Gardeners Corner
The Benefits of Gardening with Children
Slow down. Feel the sun on your face. Feel the softness of the earth between your fingers. Bury your hand in the soil — perhaps you will find a spud, ready for supper tonight. Perhaps you’ll find a tunnel and follow it along to see where the moles make their home. Lift the leafy litter […]
Posted inFeatured, The Garden
Hail to the King — Basil
The Greeks held high regard for basil (Ocimum basilicum), and named the herb Vasilikos (pronounced vah-see-lee-KOHS), which means king. In India, basil is favored as a sacred herb. Throughout the centuries, the plant was considered the herb of love, yet on the other hand, it represented hatred for your enemies. Superstitious assertions had witches using […]
Posted inFeatured, The Garden
Get The Dirt — On Home Gardening
Fall Harvesting September and October are a time for pause and reflection and also new beginnings. It’s a time to celebrate the bounty in our gardens and to harvest and preserve fruits, vegetables and herbs for later enjoyment. If you have extra produce, remember to take it to local food banks for others to enjoy. […]
You must be logged in to post a comment.