Slow down. Feel the sun on your face. Feel the softness of the earth between your fingers. Bury your hand in the soil — perhaps you will find a spud, ready for supper tonight. Perhaps you’ll find a tunnel and follow it along to see where the moles make their home. Lift the leafy litter […]
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 inFeatured, Garden
Living Machines — Innovative Technology Turns Water into Renewable Resource
Located on the opposite ends of the Greater Kitsap Peninsula, Bainbridge Island’s IslandWood and Key Peninsula’s YMCA Camp Seymour share many of the same goals. Both offer environmental education and outdoor programs for children, and both are focused on sustainability. One of the unique features that both locations have in common is a Living Machine […]
Posted inFeatured, Garden
Hail to the King — Basil
The Greeks held high regard for basil (Ocimum basilicum), and named the herb Vasilikos (pronounced vah-see-lee-KOHS), which means king. In India, basil is favored as a sacred herb. Throughout the centuries, the plant was considered the herb of love, yet on the other hand, it represented hatred for your enemies. Superstitious assertions had witches using […]
Posted inFeatured, Garden
Private Spaces in the Garden
“More than anything else, a garden is a portal, a passage into another world, one of your own thoughts and your making; it is whatever you want it to be and you are what you want to be.” ~ William Longgood Creating your own private space in your garden is something you may not have […]
Posted inFeatured, Garden
Nature’s Bounty in the Fall — The Table is Set for the Birds
From late summer into early fall, the wild bird population reaches its highest numbers for the year. This year’s young account for the increase. The population boom coincides with nature’s fall abundance. Many birds, including this year’s young, won’t survive the winter. Their survival depends on the natural food supply. During the fall migration, hundreds […]
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Get The Dirt — On Home Gardening
Fall Harvesting September and October are a time for pause and reflection and also new beginnings. It’s a time to celebrate the bounty in our gardens and to harvest and preserve fruits, vegetables and herbs for later enjoyment. If you have extra produce, remember to take it to local food banks for others to enjoy. […]
Posted inBlog, Featured, Gardeners Corner
How to Plant a Perennial Fall Container
Containers packed with plants provide garden pizzazz. Even though this blog and video are about containers for fall to winter enjoyment, they are actually planted up in mid to late summer. Plants often live happily in containers for anywhere from five to seven years. The methods shown in this video can be applied to containers […]
Posted inFeatured, Garden
Summertime Roses
Midsummer Evaluation By now you have been enjoying your rose blooms and perennials so it’s time to take a critical look at how the garden has progressed. Did you arrange the placement of your plants so the plant heights are pleasing to your eye? Sometimes plant tags give general size dimensions that are not always […]
Posted inBlog, Featured, Gardeners Corner
Mossy Rose Gall — A Fascinating Pest
I love plants with interesting foliage, be it the striking color, shape or fragrance. Rosa glauca, with her lovely bluish foliage, captured me the first time I saw it. Its flowers and hips are a bonus, always appreciated for their color and delicate nature. The flush of bloom is over for the season, so imagine […]