Archive for March 2012
Exploring the Early Learning Garden at Mercer Island Library
The Mercer Island Library worked with the Pomegranate Center to build the Mercer Island Public Library Early Learning Garden, a unique outdoor space that connects kids with nature and literacy.
Read MoreEvergreen Huckleberry – one of our favorite Northwest native plants
Hands down, one of our favorite Northwest native plant is the evergreen huckleberry. Vaccinium ovatum is an edible plant unique to the Northwest, and also a Great Plant Pick for Seattle landscapes.
Read MoreSprinkler over-spray
Ever walk by a sprinkler system where everything but the plants get irrigated? The sprinkler unintentionally sprays water all over the sidewalk, pavement or building, rather than directing the water to the base of the plants. That’s overspray.
Read MoreGardening with kids in Seattle
My toddler son loves to dig around in the yard, so I decided to put him to work several weeks ago when I needed to weed our landscape beds after a winter of neglect. After watching me dig up a few weeds in our raised beds, he grabbed his little metal shovel and began doing the same..
Read More5 must-have tools for the garden
Some of our favorite tools of the trade at Ecoyards. The hori-hori, Felco pruners, plant tape, pruning saw, and the high-tech irrigation remote.
Read MoreSeattle Tulip Growing Guide: Signs of Spring and How to Care for Tulips
Despite the snow in Seattle recently, there are still signs of spring everywhere. Forsythia branches are showing their signature yellow color; flowering currants and magnolias are starting to bloom; and the most enjoyable, distinctive sign of spring—tulips—are emerging after a winter spent growing underground. Tulips are native to central Asia and were first commercially cultivated as early as 1000 AD by the Turks, long before a botanist named Carlos Clusius widely introduced them to the…
Read MoreChoosing the Right Patio Material: Bricks, Stone, Concrete & Pavers Explained
Patios can extend your outdoor living space, give structure to your landscape, and provide a great place to hang. There are many decisions that go into installing a patio…
Read MoreNorthwest Native “Shamrock”: Meet the Redwood Sorrel
With St. Patrick’s Day approaching, we thought it would be a good time to highlight a beautiful Northwest native plant that resembles a shamrock – Oxalis oregana, or redwood sorrel or Oregon oxalis.
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