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 Jean became an avid gardener only 18 years ago when she and […]
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Posted inBlog, Gardeners Corner
Use Nature as Inspiration for Pruning
I hope you’ve had many opportunities to get out into some of our wilderness areas to experience nature untouched by human hands. Did you marvel, as I have, at the overwhelming beauty of these natural landscapes? Nature is a very gifted designer and landscaper, indeed. I strive to follow her example, although a garden, by […]
Posted inBlog, Gardeners Corner
Plants for Year-Round Interest
When selecting plants for landscaping, you’ll find several types for extending interest in the garden for more than three seasons. Roses, hydrangeas, hardy fuchsias and conifers are just some examples. In this video, you’ll see Lacecap hydrangea, Rosa glauca, Abies koreana ‘Horstmann’s Silverlocke’ and hardy Fuchsia magellanica ‘Aurea.’ Here’s how they add yearlong interest in […]
Posted inFeatured, Garden
Barbara and Dave Shoaf — Garden Paradise
The hillside gardens of Barbara and Dave Shoaf offer a glimpse of paradise to every visitor. When the North Kitsap couple retired from spending their lives and careers in Phoenix, Ariz., they knew exactly where they wanted to move. In fact, they had been researching the Pacific Northwest, particularly the Poulsbo area, for several years, […]
Posted inBlog, Gardeners Corner
A Few Tasks for the Dog Days of a Summer Garden
As you stroll through the garden in the heat of the day, plants don’t seem to have that oomph they had in the spring. Some say it’s just too hot to garden and are waiting for fall planting time to even think about getting out the shovel. So it goes, the dog days of summer […]
Posted inFeatured, Garden
Cultivate Your Child’s Love for Gardening
Allowing a bit of creative autonomy is the key to encouraging children to spend time in the garden. Children can be reluctant to try something new, afraid of doing something wrong or making a mess. With their own space to experiment, putter and even goof up or get dirty, a child can learn creatively. This […]
Posted inBlog, Gardeners Corner
How to Create a Backyard Sanctuary for Wildlife
Do you have waterfront property? Does your house look out on magnificent views of the Puget Sound? Or perhaps you have a secluded lakeshore cabin. You may want to consider making your property friendly to wildlife. On my property, there is a vernal pond that my husband dug several years ago. It is only about […]
Posted inFeatured, Garden
Dress Up the Summer Garden
A summer without annuals is like a spring without flowering bulbs. It is time to dress up a drab garden in a kaleidoscope of summer color with seasonal plants. When a garden passion turns into an obsession, you can fill gardens and containers with plants until they overflow with bright-hued flowers and textural foliage. The […]
Posted inFeatured, Garden
Gardening and Literacy Connect at The Gig Harbor Garden Tour
Cicero once said, “If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.” Those words still ring true today and are especially applicable to the Gig Harbor Garden Tour. For the last 16 years, the tour has dedicated its profits to helping people of all ages gain the gift of literacy. When […]