Fruit tree steward, neighborhood recycling guru, and overall swell neighbor, Barb Burrill, shared a recent adventure in the Wallingford urban orchard: A couple of weeks ago while walking home from my son's school, I noticed a bunch of lime-like fruits lying on the ground and sidewalk beneath a huge tree. Some had split open and looked like what might be black walnuts. I remember finding a funny-looking nut shell when I was a child and learning from my mom that it…
Landscapes are looking very “late summer” right now - parched, actually. Our summer-dry climate is known as “Mediterranean”, for the lack of rain (more or less) June – September.* For this reason, after the spring flush of bloom, it may be hard to keep the garden looking interesting. Native plants are programmed to take advantage of early moisture and set fruit early, so they can endure the dry season. Therefore, we often turn to non-natives to keep things interesting, and fortunately…
Picture a small bungalow in Wallingford, shaded by 80+-year old cedars, sheltering a collector’s garden that has evolved over the last 28 years. Add to this a selection of potted nursery stock: native plants from the Fraser River to California. That’s the outside. Inside is a fantastic selection of “hard to find new or out-of-print books dealing with any (!) of the life sciences”. Meet David Hutchinson and Martha Ferguson. David and Martha are partners in life, horticulture, and books. Martha’s…
And I don't mean the annoying neighbors partying into the wee hours. Nancy writes that there are some recent Wallyhood Forum questions about aphids. Upon reading the various comments, it appears that aphids, whiteflies, midges, flies, or other winged creatures may be causing consternation among gardeners and homeowners alike. The key to putting one's mind at ease regarding creatures is Make sure you get a good i.d. This is THE most important thing to do. Without a proper identification, you can't…
Have you taken walks around the neighborhood and admired other neighbors' vibrant, colorful groundcovers? Garden blogger Paige Embry has a post on her blog, A Year in Seattle's Gardens, that explores some of the groundcover in Tangletown through description and photography. Paige explains her gardening know-how and the reason behind the blog: I used to run a garden design/coaching business and have just set up a blog, www.ayearinseattlegardens.com. The focus of the blog is pretty obvious from the name. It looks at…
The first graders at John Stanford International School are hosting their annual plant sale to raise money for their sister school Juan de la Barrera in Puerta Vallarta. The sale will be on the playground (on 4th Ave. NE, above 40th St. NE) near the basketball court on Saturday, May 12 from 10-1 pm. We're told there will be lots of heirloom vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers. Perfect timing for Mother's Day! The first graders have been planting and tending seedlings for…
Pull your wagon out of the garden shed and head over to Meridian Park (4649 Sunnyside Avenue North) this Saturday and Sunday (May 5 & 6) for Seattle Tilth's May Edible Plant Sale, from 9:00AM - 3:00PM. The sale will include over 50 varieties of organic tomatoes and 20 types of peppers to choose from, many of which are heirloom varieties. Plus, you'll find herbs, flowers, and lots of warm season plants like squash, corn, and drought-resistant perennials. Most veggies are $3…