One of the biggest threats during any storm is tree damage, and it’s important to take steps and be prepared before, during and after a storm. A tree might seem like it would be able to sustain the forces of a large storm, … read more

As we moved into our home two years ago, the gardens that were once pristine were covered in cedar tree droppings, debris, pine branches, blackberries and a menagerie of who knows what. After much cleanup, I started to find so many delicate — … read more

In a hidden place in Kingston, there lurks a plantsman’s 5-acre garden. Walk through this special place, and you almost believe you are on a tropical island. Your eyes follow the lines of a trunk up into the canopy of fronds from the … read more

For years, people have debated the appropriateness of feeding wild birds. Some argue that birds rely on feeders instead of looking for natural food sources. Actually, few birds truly depend on backyard feeders. Many species use feeders with appropriate food choices for a … read more

It takes time — as well as imagination, desire and commitment — to turn a yard into a garden. Sam and Karen Brindley had the latter two necessities when they moved to Indianola from Kirkland 10 years ago. The house they found had … read more

Frustration is not always a bad thing. Just ask Lemolo’s Owen and Paulette Lubin, who learned about the hidden blessings of disappointment several years ago as they worked to make a move from Seattle to Kitsap County. The allure of Kitsap’s comparatively rural … read more

The mountains of Uganda and Congo bring to mind Hollywood stories like “King Kong” and “Gorillas in the Mist.” Known as the impenetrable jungle, this region makes trekking through dangerous and impossible without a guide. The 1988 film about the life of conservationist … read more

The first week in June each year, 36 intrepid gardeners board a bus for a three-day garden visit and shopping marathon. The Gig Harbor Gardeners chapter of the Northwest Perennial Alliance has sponsored this trip for the past seven years, and has yet … read more

“Why would you want to buy that piece of swampland?” asked the strawberry farmer when Jim and Lynn McIntyre showed interest in a plot of land he had tried to cultivate. The land was full of rocks and wet clay, and a big … read more