The 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 WestSound Magazine each issue — subscribe to the print version today to see all of what we have to offer!

Blue fescue, purple salvia, yarrow, Russian sage and other low-growing plants mingle in the front garden. (Photo courtesy Colleen Miko)
The Clark Family Garden

Outdoor Living Manette Style

The buzz phrase in landscape design these days is outdoor living — creating garden “rooms” that effectively extend living space beyond the home. The Clarks have mastered this concept in the redesign of their yard, a project started a decade ago. This is … read more

Magical and Magnificent Woodland Garden

The Magical and Magnificent Woodland Garden of Bill and Arlene West

The husband and wife team of Bill and Arlene West has created a magical, wonderful piece of paradise in the Ridgetop area of Central Kitsap. Their mostly shady garden is luxuriously green, overflowing with every kind of tree, shrub and perennial imaginable. Mature … read more

Clematis Kassia

When Short on Garden Space, Grow Up with Clematis

If you are short on garden space, clematis, the diva of the perennial vines, adds lively impact without taking up too much premium ground space. Be aware, when these divas open their petals in your garden, it is easy to succumb to their … read more

Get The Dirt: Mountain Lions

Get The Dirt — On Home Gardening

Mountain Lions • Winter Reading

Mountain Lions (Puma Concolor) Here kitty, kitty. Not really, but mountain lions are actually closely related to domestic cats. But when hungry, they can also prey on and eat domestic cats, so keep your cats safely indoors, at least during the hours of … read more

Debbie Teashon's Rainy Side Garden

Debbie Teashon’s Rainy Side Garden

Jefferson Beach photographer, writer and gardener Debbie Teashon personifies the term “rainy side gardener,” which happens also to be the name of her popular website. Teashon lived in Marysville on the east side of Puget Sound and had a successful photography career, along … read more

Dragonfly Farms

Growing Obsession — Dragonfly Farms Nursery

When it comes to plants, Heidi Kaster just can’t say no. Even though her Dragonfly Farms Nursery and attendant display gardens are full to bursting, she continues to bring in truckloads of cool new plants, old tried-and-trues and leafy-green deals throughout the growing … read more

Anna’s hummingbird

Hummingbirds of Winter are not The Same

Hummingbirds may appear dainty because of their diminutive size, but these dazzling visitors to local gardens are bursting with energy. And they need to refuel often to maintain their dizzying blur of activity. But those who love hummingbirds are always sad when the … read more

Beaver (Castor canadensis)

Get The Dirt — On Home Gardening

Beavers • Planting Winter Veggies • Growing Produce...

Castor canadensis Castor canadensis (beavers) are the largest rodents on our continent. They can be 3 to 4 feet long from head to the tip of their paddle-shaped tails and stand a foot tall at the shoulders. Their front feet (with claws for … read more

A rainbow of bouquets all ready for the Garden Party are the results of days' worth of work for Cathy Tyler and her talented volunteers.

Seasonal Bouquets at The Bloedel Reserve — Floral Serendipity

Cathy Tyler has a sweet job. She’s the florist for the Bloedel Reserve and with the assistance of volunteers, creates fresh arrangements for the visitors center, tends the cutting gardens and checks the existing bouquets to make sure they are still looking new. … read more

Pony Up Rescue for Equines
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