Tag: outdoors

Grape hyacinth (Muscari)

Bulbs and Other Plants for Winter Interest

January and February are months when many gardeners enjoy staying cozy inside their homes, mulling through all the seed catalogues, catching up on reading all the cool books on gardening and planning out their veggie gardens for early-spring planting and starting seeds indoors. … read more

A male hooded merganser shows off his impressive crest.

The Show Stopper of West Sound’s Wintering Waterfowl

West Sound in winter is paradise for those who enjoy watching ducks. About two dozen species come to the region’s lakes, ponds, streams, bays and open saltwater from late winter to early spring. While there are many similarities among the ducks, differences also … read more

BLOG POST

fire buffer stone

The Basics of Firescaping

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 … read more

BLOG POST

garden tools

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 … read more

A vigilant female great horned owl guards her fluffy chicks in an old raven nest on a basalt ledge in Central Washington.

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 … read more

BLOG POST

Make Your Home New Again

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 … read more

BLOG POST

Use a quality bypass pruner to cut back and dispose of any diseased or insect-infested plants. (Photo courtesy of Corona Tools)

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 … read more

BLOG POST

Echinacea "Yellow My Darling" (Coneflower)

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 … read more

Woodbrook Native Plant Nursery

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 … read more

Pony Up Rescue for Equines
Wet Apple Media W3C Valid HTML 5 PCS Web Hosting LLC