Thursday, May 26, 2011

Tomatoes! Basil! Beans!

sweet millions
black truffels -OMG! these are good!
sungold- you've been waiting for these!
yellow pear
moskovitch
green zebra

Eggplant
peppers
artichokes
beans
kale
romanesca-so pretty!
cabbage
ALL ORGANIC, RENT'S DUE RANCH- they are row crop farmers in Stanwood-they GROW produce for PCC. The varieties the sell/grow for starts are the ones they grow for food production.

What is that sweet scent? What is that pretty flower?

The journey begins with the nose...
with so many blooming shrubs and  flowers, most potted in containers, some planted in the ground- heck- they are everywhere-howvere...finding the one whose bewitching fragrance is luring you further in- that is more like a treasure hunt, and you may find yourself completely forgetting what you're even looking for!
 I know I do!

*Rhodedendron occidental- FRAGRANT! NW native variety
*Abelia mosanensis- FRAGRANT!
*Lilac- dark purple- sweet yummy old fashioned fragrance
*sweet woodruff-fragrant
*Rosa-Old Blush-fragrant
*Scented geraniums-mmm, sweet-makes a nice addition to cold drinks, smoothies, jams and jellies, syrups
*Wall flowers- FRAGRANT!

Pretty flowering shrubs and perennials that attract hummingbrids, songbirds and wildlife-as well as some very important predatory bugs- balance.

*Red flowering currant- hummingbirds!
*Twinberry-NW native-very pretty yellow twin blooms, then twin berries-think hummingbirds and songbirds!
*Dogwoods
*Evergreen huckleberry- delicious, hardy, adaptable fruiting shrub. NW native
*Kerria Japonica- japanese rose- a suckering shrub with yellow pom pom flowers-cute-combine it with 
  lilacs for a colorful display!

Cut flowers
Columbines- Black, pink, white, red, purple...
Geum rivale- a very sweet old fashioned flower- great cut flower. NW native
Geum- reds, oranges
Fringecups- cute cute cute! hummingbirds!!
Heucheras- all leaf colors, ground covers
Geraniums- hardy, woodland and full sun varieties -so many to choose from-nice cut flowers!
Veronica gentianoides- an old fashioned grouncover, light blue flowers-rare in the trade.

Done blooming (pollinated by our mason bees and honeybees) and setting fruit...
Honeyberry
Blueberry
Indian plum
saskatoon

Unusual NW natives-just because we can...
Devil's club
currant- a few varieties
piggy back plant
Camas
blue eyed grass
penstemon serraulatis
petasites

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Family activities-check this out!

West Seattle Macaroni Kids

Macaroni Kid and its family of Publisher Moms who are dedicated to delivering the scoop on all the family-friendly events and activities happening in their communities each week. Check out Macaroni Kid’s list of communities and sign up to receive your free weekly newsletter.
It all started with two old friends sharing a good meal and a great bottle of wine. From that conversation, Macaroni Kid was born and Joyce and Nicki started publishing a weekly newsletter giving moms and dads the scoop on all the weekly events in their community. From there it’s grown to dozens of other communities across the Country.
We hope you enjoy it.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Native Plant Appreciation Week

Governor Gregoire has proclaimed April 29 through May 5, 2007 as Native Plant Appreciation Week in Washington.

Native Plant Appreciation Week is a celebration of the amazing diversity of Washington’s over 3000 native plant species that inhabit deserts, rain forests, high alpine environments, river valleys, and even backyard landscapes. This event is sponsored by the Washington Native Plant Society (WNPS).

WNPS will maintain a Native Plant Appreciation Week Web site to highlight programs and activities by WNPS and its partners, which will be live starting in March.

More info can be found at the WNPS website





"Gardening with Native Plants for Wildife
Native plants provide the food, shelter, and nesting habitat favored by our local wildlife. Make your garden a sanctuary for songbirds, hummingbirds, butterflies, bees and other wildlife using native plants.
Did you Know?
  • Native plants are adapted to our climate of wet winters and dry summers.
  • Require less water than most non-natives once they are established.
  • Resist native pests and diseases better.
  • Improve water quality by needing less fertilizer and no pesticides.
  • Save resources and encourage a sense of Stewardship.
Native plants will need a little care in their infancy in order to develop a healthy root system so provide them with supplemental water the first couple of years, but after that most natives planted in a favorable site require little additional attention."

BBQ ashes

BBQ season is upon us- I promise!!! READ BEFORE you apply BBQ ashes to the garden!


BBq ashes