Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from “Mason Bee Revolution: How the Hardest Working Bee Can Save the World One Backyard at a Time,” a book by Dave Hunter and Jill LIghtner recently released by Seattle-based Mountaineers Books. In Part 2, learn about the benefits of pollen in the garden as well as reduced chemicals […]
plants
Posted inGarden
Planting Lilies for Continuous Bloom
Sometimes overlooked when planning the West Sound garden, lilies make great perennial accent points during their season of bloom. This area has a few commercial growing fields and sources for bulbs, but no plant clubs in the immediate area. Lilies are very popular in the Midwest due to their winter hardiness. In West Sound, the […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
Edging Plants — The Miracle Workers of the Garden World
Edging plants can work miracles — from fixing messy beds and directing garden traffic to serving as garden railings. Here’s are three ways garden-edging plants can work miracles. Instant Fix for Messy Beds Every garden reaches the stage where it’s full of plants but suddenly looks a mess. Home-gardener or landscaped-designed garden beds all go […]
Posted inGarden
Gardens Promote Literacy at the 19th Annual Gig Harbor Garden Tour
“If you’ve got a cause, you can find a way!” This is a motto adopted in 1998 by a group of gardeners dedicated to making sure that everyone has a chance to learn to read. From the start, the Gig Harbor Garden Tour had its roots (no pun intended) in helping the cause of literacy […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
Tips on Identifying the Rose-Leaf Fungal Diseases
We have been enjoying blooming roses for many weeks now and June is the time to celebrate our national flower: Cut some and give them to a friend. It is also the time of year when some rose foliage can begin to show signs of the three main fungal diseases: black spot, powdery mildew and […]
Posted inGarden
Get The Dirt — On Home Gardening
May and June are perfect months to get out into the garden. It’s not too hot and not too cold, and just right for gardening. Pruning, Mulching and Cleaning Up If you planted tulip and daffodil bulbs last winter, be sure to let the foliage of these beauties turn brown and die back. That nourishes […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
10 Tips for ‘Greening’ Your Gardening Habits
Spring is a great time of the year to spruce up your gardening habits. From cutting down on the trash generated by gardening, to gardening in a way that reduces the amount of household items you need to buy, there are ideas for every shade of green thumb. Here are 10 tip to help you […]
Posted inCommunity News
Master Gardeners to Teach Class on Organic Vegetable Gardening for Year-Round Harvests
Thanks to our mild climate, more and more gardeners are realizing that they are able to grow nutritious produce in their own backyards all year long. With a little preparation, you too can expand beyond the warm-season crops that are more commonly grown. Cool-season crops such as carrots, kale and chard make fine choices for […]
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Bainbridge In Bloom Pays Musical Tribute to the Finest Island Gardens
Sights, scents and mellifluous sounds will abound at this year’s Bainbridge In Bloom Garden Tour on June 4 and 5, as Arts & Humanities Bainbridge pays “A Musical Tribute to Gardens.” Now in its 28th year, this premiere annual event will showcase five island gardens inspired by settings in France, Japan and other beautiful locales. […]