Deer are common visitors to landscapes even in urban and suburban areas. Fencing is the most effective way to protect your plants but is not always practical or desirable. Your community may have restrictions on fencing, your budget may not support this option or you prefer not to hide your plantings behind a fence. Growing […]
Garden
Many interesting and delightful gardens abound in our area — how fun to glimpse into a gardener’s back yard (or even front yard). Enjoy gardens from Gig Harbor, Port Orchard, Bremerton, Central Kitsap, and the North end of Kitsap including Bainbridge Island. These articles are only a sample of what we have in West Sound Magazine each issue — subscribe to the print version today to see all of what we have to offer!
Posted inGarden
Rhododendron Dream
Sometimes we need to see things from a new angle, in order to realize how wonderful something truly is. Charmond Adkins of Poulsbo found this to be true the rhododendron flower. “I got interested in rhododendrons about 40 years ago, when I first saw a yellow one,” she says. “Prior to that, I only thought […]
Posted inGarden
Community and Learning Gardens
West Sound abounds in opportunities to enjoy gardens and gardening. It’s been said that the Pacific Northwest is heaven for gardeners. But what if a person has no space to garden? Not even in containers? The answer is community gardens, also known as P-patches. And, if you’d rather just enjoy visiting gardens or perhaps learning […]
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Garden ‘Remodeling’ with the Kitsap Master Gardeners Salvage Team
It happens when you’ve been gardening in the same place for a long time: You realize you are living in an overgrown jungle. Unless you’ve been really conscientious about dividing your muscular perennials every few years, you suddenly notice they are not blooming as well as they should; and the bullies are crowding out the […]
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Crazy Plants at Crazy Hill
Crazy Hill Garden & Botanicals in Belfair lives up to its name. The nursery, which opened in March 2021, provides a laid-back, fun, artistic and casual atmosphere for its customers. “The big-box shops buy safe, and we buy fun,” says Crazy Hill Garden & Botanical co-owner Elton Busby, adding that the nursery specializes in “unique […]
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Gig Harbor Garden Tour — An Inspiration for All Gardeners
After a season of unusual cold and snow, it is a gardener’s joy to see spring shoots promising summer abundance. This year’s annual Gig Harbor Garden Tour offers a rich summer palette of color, natural foliage, manicured pathways and a natural forest. There is a garden for every type of gardener — novice to experienced […]
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The Garden Conservancy Open Day Tours
It could be argued that in the Pacific Northwest, gardening-mania far surpasses baseball as the favorite sport. With the help of April showers, June gardens are primped, pruned and ready for ohs! and ahs! as garden tour season begins. Knowledgeable gardeners anticipate The Garden Conservancy Open Days, which grants unprecedented access to private gardens. Open […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
The Ultimate Guide to Water-Wise Gardening
The importance of making water-wise choices has become very apparent with the spread of climate change. It’s becoming more difficult to grow certain crops, maintain landscapes and enjoy various recreational activities as water availability wavers and heat threatens popular crop growing. Across the country, people continue to make garden choices that can help conserve water. […]
Posted inGarden
Small and Beautiful Gardens
I prefer smaller gardens because they can take your breath away as you walk through them. Victorian, shabby chic, perennial beds full of flowers, vignettes, pathways, a rose garden, concrete birdbaths, arbors covered with blooming vines and climbers and a charming porch for entertaining. Containers overflowing with trailing blossoms. Fragrance! Don’t forget the long-blooming mammoth […]