Growing culinary herbs gives you a little bit of everything you garden for: beauty, scent, a pantry filled with your own fine seasonings and a connection to the history of gardening. Throughout history, people all over the world knew the value of herbs … read more

Much like people and domesticated animals, wild birds have their own personalities, unique to each species. Some are introverts, preferring a solitary life. Others appreciate their independence, but loosely associate with a few feathered friends. Then there are the extroverts that spend much … read more

Moss is one of those plants that can be both beautiful and problematic, depending on where it grows. Although that’s potentially true of most plants, few besides moss will grow on a roof, a sidewalk or even a car. The key to why … read more

Originally, the Palmer cottage served as a little general store on Rolling Bay. In the 1940s, it was moved to its present location on Manitou Beach Drive along the water. It’s situated next door to the Red Wing Blackbird Sanctuary. Lisa Dunham currently … read more

The magical view from the deck says it all — mountain peaks, placid lake and a garden that beckons you to leave the deck and wander through it to the water’s edge. This lovingly tended garden of Denice and Don Heblich on Wooten … read more

If there’s one good thing that came with the COVID-19 virus in the past year, it’s the increased interest in the joys of gardening. With more time to spend at home and the need to fill the gaps left by social distancing, home … read more

Birders measure the arrival of spring not by a date on the calendar, but by the sounds of birds returning from winter warmth in the South. From March to May, over two dozen species of migrant songbirds arrive for breeding in West Sound. … read more

So, you find dandelions to be less than dandy, knotweed has you in knots, and you’ve lost your patience with purslane. Some advice: If you can’t beat ’em, eat ’em. These plants and many other so-called “weeds” are actually tasty and good for … read more

Gardens have been a favorite subject for artists since the beginning of time. Where else can such perfect subjects be found — subjects that flaunt their beauty and just beg to be painted? They don’t charge a modeling fee, need no special costumes … read more