Birds have almost as many strategies as people do for getting together. Avian mating styles have been a topic of recent research and ornithologists now recognize how subtle and diverse bird partnerships really are. Monogamy: The most typical type of partnership is monogamy, where one male and one female mate and stay together during 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 West Sound Magazine each issue — subscribe to the print version today to see all of what we have to offer!
Posted inBlog, Featured, Gardeners Corner
Tips for Successful Plant Pruning
Woody plants — shrubs and trees — by their nature may require pruning. Gardeners may feel apprehensive about this task. Never fear, here are a few tips to assist you and a segment of Gardening with Peg for building confidence. The main reasons to prune are to allow air to circulate and to maintain plant […]
Posted inFeatured, Garden
Modern Roses as Part of a Mixed Sunny Border
Roses can be a delightful part of a sunny border and this is a good time of year to add new ones to your garden. Modern roses, which are readily available locally, are classified into several groups and the hybrid tea is the most popular. Hybrid teas are easily recognized by single, large, shapely blooms […]
Posted inFeatured, Garden
Learn About Bees, Beekeeping
West Sound Beekeepers Association is a longstanding group of people interested in learning about bees. The members maintain an apiary as well as educational facilities, and meet monthly at Stedman’s Bee Supplies in Silverdale. Local beekeeper Frank Wilson’s story is very similar to other members of the club. “I was at a dangerous point in […]
Posted inFeatured, Garden
Community Education Opportunities
Organic Vegetable Gardening Class: Gardens You Can Eat A hands-on class taught by Master Gardeners to help you create your own organic backyard vegetable garden. This course, which is open to any community member who wishes to learn about growing food crops organically, will focus on soils, composting, locally appropriate techniques and integrated pest management. […]
Posted inBlog, Featured, Gardeners Corner
Dueling Hummingbirds
Even before March arrived hummingbird enthusiasts were keeping an eye out for the first returning Rufous hummingbird. March is the month when these tiny bits of feather and bone return to the Pacific Northwest. They have spent the winter in the Southwest United States and Mexico. Rufous hummingbirds are the most adventurous members of this […]
Posted inBlog, Featured, Gardeners Corner
Enjoy the Early Spring Color Splash
The forsythia blooming is traditionally the start of spring activities in the garden. Rosarians use that as a clue to begin pruning roses. This year, the forsythia in my garden bloomed a full four weeks ahead of previous years due to the record warm weather in February. That was taken as a cautious beginning to […]
Posted inFeatured, Garden
Delighting in the Indigenous — Woodbrook Native Plant Nursery
“Gardening makes you feel good,” says Ingrid Wachtler, owner of Woodbrook Native Plant Nursery. She believes that gardening is a wholesome and beneficial pursuit that keeps one young. After two decades of growing and selling plants in Gig Harbor, Wachtler still gets excited about new plants and revels in the way working outdoors makes her […]
Posted inFeatured, Garden
Get The Dirt — On Home Gardening
Gardening Chores Chores is often such an unpalatable word. It seems it’s something people love to put off if they can. But for gardeners, doing chores outdoors is often delightful because it means well-spent time outside, leading to future enjoyment in the garden during the other seasons, especially during harvest. Tackle all the shotweed, a.k.a. […]