Mt. Rainier
Featured Outdoor Activities Washington

Recreation experiences abound on Mt. Rainier

Caption: Mt. Rainier photo by Ed Book, visitrainier.com Mt. Rainier offers a multitude of recreational opportunities. Visitors to the region can create many different vacation experiences combining leisurely sightseeing with hiking or more extreme adventures such as intense guided climbs to Mt. Rainier’s 14,410-foot summit and multi-day treks on its Wonderland Trail. Some of the […]

purple iris
Featured Northwest Lifestyles Outdoor Activities

Add perennial power to your garden

Type/classic Caption:Perennial plants like Siberian Iris (Iris sibirica) tolerates full sun to part shade and provides year-round interest.  Photo credit:photo courtesy of MelindaMyers.com by Melinda Myers Create long lasting beauty and pollinator appeal in your landscape with the help of perennials. With a little bit of planning, you can have flowers, foliage and seed heads […]

Sunflowers from seed
Featured Northwest Lifestyles Outdoor Activities

Save gardening money with seeds

Caption: Sunflowers, like Suntastic Jaune Coeur Noir, are commonly started from seeds in the garden. Photo credit:photo courtesy of All-America Selections by Melinda Myers Don’t worry if you have already spent most of your plant budget for the year.  Fill voids in your gardens and containers with heat tolerant annuals planted from seeds directly in the […]

Rain barrel resize
Featured Northwest Lifestyles Outdoor Activities Technology

Put rainfall to use with rain barrels

Classic Caption: Elevate your rain barrel for easier access to the spigot for filling containers and to speed water flow with the help of gravity. Photo credit: photo courtesy MelindaMyers.com by Melinda Myers Put rainwater to use in your landscape with the help of rain barrels. This centuries old technique allows you to capture rainfall to […]

Haystack at Canon Beach
Featured Northwest Lifestyles Oregon Outdoor Activities Uncategorized

Oregon’s top four attractions

Caption: Haystack rock is a dominant sight in Canon Beach. Credit: -TravelOregon.com (photographer: Joni Kabana) Beautiful Columbia River Gorge Editor’s note:  Between May 24 and Sept. 5, 2022, a timed-access permit will be required for each personal vehicle driven on the Historic Columbia River Highway from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. between Vista House and […]

Night landscape lighting
Featured Northwest Lifestyles Outdoor Activities

Light up your night garden

Classic Caption:  Enjoy an after-dark glow on your patio or deck with retro Edison-bulb solar lights. Photo credit:  Photo courtesy of Gardener’s Supply Company/gardeners.com by Melinda Myers Enjoy your garden and landscape once the sun sets with strategically placed and attractive landscape lighting. Select the best type of light that complements your garden design and […]

Man wiping nose
Environment Featured

Blame climate change for more allergies?

Type/classic Caption: If you’ve noticed your allergies getting worse in recent years, climate change may indeed be to blame. Credit: Pavel Danilyuk, Pexels.com. Dear EarthTalk: Could climate change really be making my allergies worse?–– L. Pulaski, New Bern, NC Pollen may be an unfortunate contributor to poor health in the first place, but there are […]

war zone
Environment Featured

Russia’s war on Ukraine creates environmental havoc

Type/Classic Caption: Russia’s war on the Ukraine is creating untold environmental mayhem in the form of air, water and soil pollution. Credit: Manhhai, FlickrCC. Dear EarthTalk: What kind of environmental toll is Russia’s war on Ukraine taking?— James P., Philadelphia, PA Russia’s war on Ukraine is one of the worst humanitarian crises facing Europe since […]

White flowers
Featured Northwest Lifestyles Outdoor Activities

Creating a Garden in the Shade

Type/Classic Photo caption: Bugbane’s white spires of flowers will provide some height to the shady areas in the landscape. Photo credit:  photo courtesy of MelindaMyers.com by Melinda Myers Don’t let limited sunlight stop you from growing a beautiful garden. Make the most of shady locations with proper plant selection and design strategies.  Start the season with […]