Whidbey

These are 4  of the 5 Garry Oaks I have planted in the last 3 years. They are all on a hillside facing west. I ground is mostly sand so they have excellent drainage. The largest tree was purchased from a tree nursery about 2…

Planted five different fruit on our property. The location seems excellent, full sun for a majority of the day. The soil has good drainage mostly sand with some organic content, I added a half bag of compost to each tree. Akane Apple, Cosmic Crisp Apple,…

Planting native plants and other perennials that will strengthen the local environment  give a pleasing appearance and offer habitat and sustenance to local wildlife. Listed below are links to guides, blog posts and other sources of information. Guide for Western Washington Prairies  pdf Xeric Prairies…

Living in the country on an island requires a different approach to gardening. When you are surrounded by native trees, shrubs, weeds and grasses the choices you make for your landscaping should take the local plants into consideration. What follows is a list or assemblage…

Living on the edge of a 500 acre lagoon and wetland puts me in the middle of a massive wildlife refuge. I am trying to identify all the birds I see, in the course of a week, but it is tough. I see many of…

My regular routine each morning is to wake an hour or two before Flora. I make a cup of coffee in my Bialetti Moka Express coffee maker and have a piece of toast or a bowl of granola with fruit. Then I sit at the…

After many years living in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle, my wife and I are going to move to the country. An island to be exact. We will be taking on a Mid Century Modern rambler that sits on the edge of a large wetland.…