Gulls. Often erroneously calling them “seagulls,” people either despise or delight in them. As scavengers, gulls keep our beaches clean. As social birds, they can be hilarious to watch, thanks to their antics, especially when fighting over the delectable flesh of dead, smelly sea creatures that have washed ashore. Nearly a quarter of the world’s […]
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 inGardeners Corner
Flower Power in the Pollinator Victory Garden
Editor’s note: This excerpt is reprinted with permission from “The Pollinator Victory Garden: Win the War on Pollinator Decline with Ecological Gardening” by Kim Eierman, EcoBeneficial, published Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc. 2020. Flowers are some of the most important food sources for pollinators, but there’s more to it than planting flowers and waiting for pollinators to […]
Posted inGarden
Artistry and Imagination Create an Explosion of Color
It takes imagination and a lot of time to create an exciting and colorful garden. But Barb Grams was up for the challenge. She began gardening while in ninth grade, planting primroses for her mother. In September 1975, Grams and her husband purchased a (now 108-year-old) home in Manette. The one-third-acre corner lot was a […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
5 Safe Pollinators and How to Attract Them to Your Backyard
You water, you prune, you fertilize. But you can’t pollinate. Pollination is essential for a beautiful garden, but it’s also important in the bigger picture of ecology. By welcoming pollinators to your backyard, you’re inviting them to stay in the area and support our apple and cherry trees and genetic diversity. While wasps will pollinate […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
Fall Landscape Care to Keep Plants and Pollinators Healthy
As the weather and gardens transition from summer to fall, it’s time to adjust your maintenance practices to ensure the health, longevity and beauty of your landscape. Proper fall care will increase winter survival, support pollinators and reduce your future workload. Continue watering as needed. This is especially important for new plantings and moisture-loving plants. Don’t […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
Low-Maintenance Lawn Substitutes for Grass
Editor’s note: This post is brought to you by the experts at Angi, who specialize in connecting consumers with vetted pros, verified reviews and fair pricing for home projects and services. A well-kept lawn is one of the marks of successful homeownership; however, for some, grass lawns just aren’t worth the time and resources. Bright-green […]
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The Garden for All Seasons
Transplanting themselves from the Bay Area to the Pacific Northwest, Barbara McFarren and Stan Noel found their lovely Gig Harbor view home in 2008, completing the move a year later. The couple was attracted in part by the “good bones” of the garden areas surrounding the house — colorful, mature maples and large shrubs filled […]
Posted inGarden
Trees of Merit
Nothing enhances home and garden quite like well-grown trees. They provide an anchor for the landscape and shelter for birds. Trees outlive their owners and see generations of people pass under their boughs. Gardens come and go, yet a tree remains as a legacy to the ones who planted them. With so many trees to […]
Posted inGarden
Growing Culinary Herbs
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 for health and delight. Cooks through the ages also found that herbs […]