The five-star wedding venue Llama Rose Farm and Gardens woke to the New Year with a new name. Like a monarch butterfly emerging transformed to spread its wings, the rustic-elegant venue unfolds a new identity — Empress Hill. The new name resonates with … read more

The Key Peninsula has seen its share of restaurant comings and goings over the past decade. But the Mexican restaurant El Sombrero, which opened in Key Center eight years ago, feels right at home amidst the rustic charm of the Peninsula — never … read more

The importance of a heavily planted yard can’t be emphasized too much when it comes to attracting birds. All of the plants do not have to provide food for them. Food is just one of four needs for sustaining bird populations. Like all … read more

It’s exciting when new plant introductions bump up against spring. If you love gardening, you know how easy it is to surrender to spring fever. When the urge to plant strikes, you scurry about in a feverish excitement that can make a shark-feeding … read more

Jan Bahr at Roadhouse Nursery on Central Valley Road in Poulsbo is the go-to person for advice on how to construct and maintain water features in home gardens and landscapes. She believes that the most important thing is to do your homework. Start … read more

Warbler watching in West Sound country can’t compete with what the eastern portion of North America enjoys, but we do have several special warbler species. Not only do warblers move into the Northwest with spring’s arrival, some have been brightening the winter landscape. … read more

Increase your harvest without increasing the size of your garden or workload. All you need is a bit of intensive planting, along with some low-maintenance techniques. Invest some time upfront to prepare the garden soil. This will save you time throughout the growing … read more

One of the great aspects of an orchestra is the chameleon role it plays in music. One night an orchestra might be performing the glorious symphonies of Mozart, Brahms or Stravinsky. And on another, it might be providing the music for an opera, … read more

Tucked away outside Poulsbo, a multigenerational home comes together with vision and several lifetimes of collections. What each family member brings to the property creates an unexpected combination of the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest and the old-world culture of Russia and … read more