Firescaping involves designing a landscape to fireproof a property while maintaining aesthetic appeal. By thoughtfully choosing and arranging plants and construction materials, the likelihood of igniting a fire, along with its potential severity and the speed at which it spreads, can be significantly reduced. A firescape design often involves multiple zones. Zone 0, also known […]
outdoors
Posted inGardeners Corner
How to Winterize Your Landscaping Tools
Winter is just around the corner, and while most of us are busy preparing our homes and vehicles for the cold months ahead, it’s important not to forget about our trusty landscaping tools. These essential tools help us maintain our lawns throughout the year, and neglecting them during the winter can lead to costly repairs […]
Posted inPeople & Places
The View from the Top of the Food Chain
Life is a competition. Whether we realize it or not, we are always competing with someone for a job, a home purchase or a parking space, to name a few. Even birders are constantly vying with each other for top birder status. It’s no different in the natural world, where competition among species is literally […]
Posted inThe Outdoors
Extending Your Home Renovation and Improvements to Your Backyard
The housing market always has its ups and downs, and home renovations appear to be hitting some record highs in the last few years. With more people staying home to work, relax and play, many homeowners have chosen to renovate rather than move to a new home to obtain their dream house and have it […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
Fall Landscape Care with Pollinators in Mind
No matter where you live, investing time into your landscape care now will pay off with a healthier, more beautiful landscape next spring and for years to come. Incorporate the following practices into your fall maintenance to support pollinators and the plants in your landscape. Don’t rake the leaves to the curb or haul them […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
Planting Perennials in the Fall
Fall may be a better time to plant perennials than spring. Like spring, fall has cooler, rainier weather that is more conducive to helping plants establish. Unlike spring, fall doesn’t subject freshly planted perennials to the stress of summer heat and the dry spells this can cause. Here are a few other points to consider […]
Posted inGarden
Supporting the Natural Ecosystem with Native Plants
Specialty nurseries are a magnet for serious gardeners — and Woodbrook Native Plant Nursery, located in Gig Harbor’s backyard, is a favorite. With a timely message for gardeners concerned about garden resiliency for climate change, Ingrid Wachtler and her staff are ready to help. “Native plants are not necessarily low-water-use plants because many are wetland […]
Posted inAround West Sound
Help Keep Washington (and Kitsap) Litter Free
Even though 75% of Washington residents never litter, a new statewide study commissioned by the Washington Department of Ecology finds that more than 26 million pounds (13,096 tons) of waste accumulates along Washington roads every year. And despite our state spending approximately $12 million annually on cleanup efforts, only a small fraction ever gets picked […]
Posted inAt Home
Fall-Planted Cover Crops Provide Many Benefits to Gardens
Put your garden to work over winter by planting a cover crop this fall. Covering the soil with plants that are turned into the soil or smothered and allowed to decompose in spring provides many benefits. Fall-planted cover crops protect the soil from erosion over winter and reduce stormwater runoff into nearby waterways and storm […]