Women watering
Featured Northwest Lifestyles Outdoor Activities

Take the Hassle out of Daily Watering

Photo caption:   Look for a hose trolley that is sturdy and topple-resistant yet lightweight and maneuverable to make watering easy.    Photo credit:  Photo courtesy of Gardener’s Supply Company By Melinda Myers Proper watering is key to gardening success, but untangling and dragging heavy hoses across the yard, smashing delicate flowers and young vegetable plants […]

Pink tulips
Featured Northwest Lifestyles Outdoor Activities

Discover the Beauty of Double Tulips

Photo cutline:   Margarita is an early-blooming tulip variety that produces stunning deep purple to violet double blossoms.  Photo credit:  Longfield-Gardens.com By Melinda Myers Celebrate the National Garden Bureau’s Year of the Tulip in a big way by planting double flowered tulip varieties this fall for a showy display next spring. Flower arrangers love the […]

Pruning gloves
Featured Outdoor Activities

Early Spring Preparation for a Beautiful Summer Garden

Photo caption: When pruning, start by removing the damaged and diseased stems of shrubs and roses and wear heavy duty gloves to keep yourself free from scratches. Photo credit: Photo courtesy of foxglovesinc.com By Melinda Myers As winter fades into spring, gardeners can’t wait to get busy in the garden.  Pruning, cutting back perennials and ornamental […]

Arbor landscape
Featured Northwest Lifestyles Outdoor Activities

Landscape Structures Provide Function and Beauty

Photo caption:  Arbors can provide a beautiful framework and vertical gardening space for pole beans, melons, or squash in food gardens or serve as a support to climbing roses and flowering vines in garden beds. Photo credit:  Photo courtesy of Gardener’s Supply Company By Melinda Myers Incorporate arbors, trellises and other structures into your designs […]

Woman watering plants
Featured Northwest Lifestyles Outdoor Activities

Self-watering sprouts gardening success

Photo caption:  The Self-Watering Standing Garden’s large reservoirs maximizes the time between watering. Photo credit:  Photo courtesy of Gardener’s Supply Company By Melinda Myers Raised beds and containers expand our planting options. They allow us to grow edible and ornamental plants even where there is no plantable space to garden.  Use them to make planting, […]

Houseplant
Featured Outdoor Activities

Keep Houseplants Healthy While Keeping Pets Safe

Photo caption: Baby tears plant (Soleirolia) is safe for pets and should be grown in brighter light conditions. Photo credit:  Melinda Myers, LLC By Melinda Myers You love them both – your pets and houseplants – but it can be challenging to safely raise them together in the same house.  Reduce the risk by selecting […]

Garden kit
Featured Outdoor Activities

Expand Your Edible Garden Indoors

Photo caption: Self-watering planters like the Gardener’s Revolution Light Garden make it easy to successfully grow a variety of greens or other edibles indoors. Photo credit:  Photo courtesy of Gardener’s Supply Company By Melinda Myers No matter the season, size of your garden or climate, you can inject homegrown flavor into your meals. Just clear […]

Tomato plant
Outdoor Activities

9 Garden Planning Tips

Photo caption: Celano is a patio type grape tomato that produces sweet oblong fruit. Photo credit:  All-America Selections By Melinda Myers We’ve all done it…gotten overzealous in spring and overplanted or planted the wrong varieties for our tastes and needs. Make this the year you plan your garden for the best return on your investment. […]

Houseplant watering
Outdoor Activities

Water your way to garden success

By Melinda Myers Too much of a good thing can mean death for indoor plants. Overwatering is a good example of this and a common problem for indoor gardeners. For others it’s the opposite extreme, allowing plants to go too dry. Knowing when to water your indoor plants can increase gardening success and eliminate the […]