Every once in a while, a garden captures our hearts. Visitors want to linger, spirits are lifted, imaginations awaken. The smallest of gardens can make an enormous impact. What is that extra ingredient that transforms an ordinary landscape into an extraordinary one? Gardens are very personal spaces, and when created to reflect and concentrate the […]
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Posted inGarden
Enchanting, Colorful Garden Comes from Creative Evolution
A walk through Lisa and Glenn Eastep’s garden makes it clear that creative minds are at work here — from the clipped gables and rolled-edge roof of the cottage-style home they designed to the inviting, arched entry gate and the foliage colors that grace the curving walkways; from the tiny village nestled under the shelter […]
Posted inHome
An Artist’s Christmas
Lisa Stirrett’s eyes light with excitement when she talks about the holiday season. “I love Christmas. I love when my boys come home,” she says. As long as she can remember, Stirrett helped her mother decorate their home. Even as a small child, those times are some of her fondest memories. “Every year, (my husband) […]
Posted inThe Outdoors
Song Sleuth with Sibley
Wildlife Acoustics, maker of the Song Sleuth bird-identifying app, has announced the launch of a birding sweepstakes. It is presented by L.L. Bean Co., maker of outdoor wear and gear. David Sibley, renowned artist and author of “Sibley’s Guide to Birds,” is the prize. The winner of the sweepstakes will have the opportunity to enjoy […]
Posted inGarden
Winter in the Garden at Bloedel Reserve
Winter in the Northwest may not be the time of year when some people think of visiting a garden, but Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island embraces nature during every season of the year. History Prentice Bloedel, an innovator of the timber industry, and his wife, Virginia, purchased 150 acres with a residence in 1951 and […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
Which Plants to Grow in Conservatory, Home, or Office
Being close to nature has many benefits but many of us cannot reap its benefits in cities due to lack of trees and plants and excessive buildings. Several studies around the world have shown the positive effects of greenery on our well-being. Did you know that houseplants can boost your creativity by up to 45 […]
Posted inGarden
The Drainfield and the Rose
Prior to 2011, Sally Eastman, an experienced gardener, had never grown a rose. She said recently, “I think I may have planted Rose One Hundred and One this year.” How and why did she become so bowled over by roses? The story really begins in late 2009, when Eastman and her husband, Roger, both looking […]
Posted inGarden
Consider the Leaf
Consider the leaf as the breath of life, for without plant foliage, there would be no life. The most important living components on Earth contain life-giving chlorophyll. Every breath humans take is possible because chlorophyll synthesizes the energy of the sun, water and carbon dioxide. The next time you select a plant for its great […]
Posted inPeople & Places
Accessing the Abel Tasman, New Zealand
New Zealand — a wonderland of jaw-dropping scenery from Milford Sound in the far south to the most northern Bay Islands. Many of its best and indescribably beautiful vistas with some of the most dramatic panoramas can only be found off the beaten track. And unfortunately, many tourists visiting New Zealand see its beauty through […]