Gardening in the Pacific NW Several years ago, I was reading a home design magazine that advised you to think about what makes you happy and decorate your space accordingly. Is it the beach? Go with cool blues. An ice cream shop? Bright, happy pops of color. Wild animals? Get your leopard print on. For me, it's green. I feel happiest when I am surrounded by green. I think I live in the right place. Which also explains why, when my sticky children are eating breakfast and arguing about which plate color is superior, I sometimes slip out the back door to stand in the middle of my garden. I pull a few weeds, water the basil, check the berries. Mostly Keep Reading

Benefits of raised garden beds You can't sink a shovel into the soil anywhere on our 3/4-acre property without hitting a rock. More like sixty rocks. No joke. It's like living on top of an old quarry. Planting tomatoes directly into the ground last year was an exercise in frustration, as making 2' holes with a pickax is not my idea of a good time. So while I love the idea of a large, level garden plot, it just isn't going to happen on our sloped, rocky lot. No problemo. We are big fans of the look and benefits of raised garden beds. Here are a few of the advantages of gardening this way: Soil drains better Access is easier Soil Keep Reading