The orchard mason bee, or blue orchard bee, is the western native pollinator that appears each year in late winter and early spring to pollinate all the early blooming fruit trees and flowers. Its scientific name, Osmia Lignaria Propinqua Cresson, describes the insect … read more

Hoop houses are a simple tool to improve success with year-round vegetable gardening in the Pacific Northwest. Constructed of basic, inexpensive materials and with the potential for easy relocation, hoop houses are essentially mini-greenhouses that anyone can build and utilize. And like a … read more

A hummingbird darts about the garden, its long, willowy tongue flicking in and out of its beak in anticipation of the honey-sweet nectar. The miniature acrobat flies around, occasionally coming to a standstill in midair, its wings moving so fast, they disappear from … read more

The husband and wife team of Bill and Arlene West has created a magical, wonderful piece of paradise in the Ridgetop area of Central Kitsap. Their mostly shady garden is luxuriously green, overflowing with every kind of tree, shrub and perennial imaginable. Mature … read more

If you are short on garden space, clematis, the diva of the perennial vines, adds lively impact without taking up too much premium ground space. Be aware, when these divas open their petals in your garden, it is easy to succumb to their … read more

Mountain Lions (Puma Concolor) Here kitty, kitty. Not really, but mountain lions are actually closely related to domestic cats. But when hungry, they can also prey on and eat domestic cats, so keep your cats safely indoors, at least during the hours of … read more

Jefferson Beach photographer, writer and gardener Debbie Teashon personifies the term “rainy side gardener,” which happens also to be the name of her popular website. Teashon lived in Marysville on the east side of Puget Sound and had a successful photography career, along … read more

Hummingbirds may appear dainty because of their diminutive size, but these dazzling visitors to local gardens are bursting with energy. And they need to refuel often to maintain their dizzying blur of activity. But those who love hummingbirds are always sad when the … read more

Castor canadensis Castor canadensis (beavers) are the largest rodents on our continent. They can be 3 to 4 feet long from head to the tip of their paddle-shaped tails and stand a foot tall at the shoulders. Their front feet (with claws for … read more