Garden fashion leans toward fickleness when it comes to color. Do you remember gardens before the turn of the century? Pastel flowers filled the borders, while mauve, pink and gray ruled the color palette of both interior and exterior spaces. If you vowed you would never plant orange, it might be an attitude left over […]
outdoors
Posted inGarden
The Cutest Potting Shed Ever
A few years after Ruth and Brian* built their home on Haven Lake, Ruth decided she really needed a potting shed to house her books, seeds and vintage family garden tools. She drew up a concept picture and turned to her every-handy husband. Brian isn’t in the construction business, but he grew up and spent […]
Posted inGarden
Moss and Lichens
Verdant moss carpeting the ground and draping the trees enchants us and adds a depth of beauty to woods and gardens. A world with moss pleases the eye, but for those who take the time, there is a second world to enjoy. The Lilliputian world of mosses and lichens is as vibrant and alluring as […]
Posted inGarden
Clematis — the Perfect Companion Plant
Do you have a problem structure in your garden? Perhaps there is an ugly shed or very functional fence calling for a color pop on your property? Clematis could be the answer to your design needs. They are available in many colors and heights. This vine plant comes in over 100 readily available varieties, each […]
Posted inPeople & Places
‘Tides of Justitia’
Familiar to anyone who drives along Burwell Avenue in Bremerton, “Tides of Justitia”is an installation in the Bremerton Police Department’s courtyard. Five roug-hewn granite spheres and a granite bench surround a metal sculpture made by artist James Kelsey, a former Port Orchard resident who now lives in Centralia. The five polished spheres in the sculpture […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
Time for Fall Garden Cleanup
Some gardeners ignore or forget a very important part of the garden year. But you should think of it as getting ready to plant again. With the decrease in daylight, our plants are slowing down and it is a good time to remove all spent annual and garden plants and consider planting a few garlic […]
Posted inPeople & Places
The Yoga Salmon Trail
Not heaven, not quite — the Pacific Northwest is a bevy of sparkling amenities, things to do and see that capture the soul. One of those things is my “Yoga Salmon Trail” morning adventure in Belfair. It started at the new, multimillion-dollar Faith in Action building, known as the HUB. Faith in Action is a […]
Posted inFood & Entertainment
Why Farmers Markets are So Popular
Isn’t it interesting that the most iconic symbol of one of the leading technology centers in the world is a farmers market? No one would argue that the Pike Place Market in Seattle is the most famous landmark and the biggest tourist attraction in Seattle — and possibly in the state of Washington. Who has […]
Posted inGarden
Making Compost
Plants provide wonderful food for cooking but one of the not-so-secret secrets of gardening is that every now and then, you need to cook for plants rather than with them. Give them a tasty meal of their favorite food and they will thank you with robust shoots, fruits and roots. But do not run out […]