Ah, gorgeous trees and the shelter and shade they provide! Many local residents are blessed with towering conifers like Western red cedars or the fall colors of maples and other deciduous trees on their properties. Despite all their advantages, trees can create a … read more

This isn’t about the design of a new garden; this is all about an existing one. As the garden ever changes, much can be said about how it grows and develops character. Then there are the spaces that do not age gracefully; the … read more

In the 1980s I worked for the Tacoma Park District at the W.W. Seymour Conservatory and at the Point Defiance Greenhouses. We had a little gift shop at the conservatory with plants for sale. Occasionally we would get a customer who wanted advice … read more

Gardens in early American colonies were not for ornamentation; they were planted and worked for provision. Specific plants were grown to provide food, soaps, perfumes, insecticides, dyes and medicines — all the things needed to take care of everyday life in the home. … read more

My experience with apples did not extend much beyond Fuji, Honey Crisp and Jonagold before attending the Peninsula Fruit Club’s Fall Fruit Tasting Show this October at the Silverdale Community Center. I was thrilled to see 175 different types of apples grown in … read more

It is said that people who love fuchsias, really love them. With three generations of fuchsia lovers in my family, I was destined to fall in love with them too. I remember my grandmother’s hanging baskets overflowing with fuchsia branches smothered in blousy, … read more

All gardeners have a wish list: new plants to try, a load of compost delivered, a potting shed, etcetera, but there is one thing that always seems to top the list — a greenhouse. Imagine how the midwinter blues melt away as you … read more

Sisters Jean Boyle and Bethany McDonald live in Suquamish just a short walk from each other. They are often mistaken for twins but one is actually older than the other by nearly two years. McDonald has gardened in Suquamish for 35 years, but … read more

Plant gathering and preservation for identification has its foundations in history and early botanical plant hunting. Plants in modern gardens have their origins from all over the world, as botanists journeyed to distant lands. As the West was discovered, Lewis and Clark collected … read more